Yesterday is Gone
by thesunwillalwaysshine98
Summary: A blast from Rogue's past arrives at the mansion after the devastation of the war, but will she ever be able to forgive him?
1. Chapter 1

This is based loosely around the films, and set after the war at the end of X2. A lot of the characters that died are still alive here and I've put my own spin on the story.

 _Disclaimer: As always, I don't own anything._

 **Chapter One**

Remy LeBeau had never really been one for second chances.

He believed that the choices people made defined them, and that was just the way it was. Choices were made and once it was done, the person just had to live with the outcome.

The problem was, Remy LeBeau was also a hypocrite.

He took a long drag of his cigarette as he glanced up at the huge and intimidating stately home now in front of him.

Remy had always lived his life one way, as a thief and a mercenary. He'd sold all and any of his available skills to the highest bidder, and he'd never had a problem with it before. Maybe he'd done a few things that tugged at his morals, but then he'd always reasoned that if it wasn't him doing these things, it would only be someone else.

Until he'd suddenly realised he was on the wrong side of thirty with nothing to show for it but his money and his questionable morals.

Which was exactly why he now found himself stood in front of a house so big it should technically be called a mansion.

Remy didn't have many friends, and one of the only people he could really count on lived here. So when she'd called to ask how he was doing, he'd jumped at the opportunity for a catch up.

For the offer of a place to stay.

For a safe haven.

Remy took a deep breath and flicked his cigarette out just as the huge oak front door opened and a breathtaking woman stepped out. She had beautiful cocoa coloured skin, steely grey eyes and shockingly white hair elegantly cut around her face.

Ororo Monroe looked just as beautiful as she had the last time he had seen her.

She was stern as she locked eyes with him, "Remy LeBeau."

He grinned and opened his arms for her, "Stormy!"

"I'm sure I've told you not to call me that" she said as she climbed down the stone steps and folded herself into his arms.

"Yo' know how dis one be f'r listenin'" he joked, pulling her tight into his chest.

"I'm glad you're safe" she said quietly.

In the aftermath of the war so much had happened and so many people had been lost, he was also glad to know that his old friend had survived unscathed. Or mostly unscathed.

"Come on inside" she said, turning and clearing her throat as she did so. "The climate here isn't quite what you're used to."

"Ain't much snow in de bayou" he agreed as he followed her into an impressive hallway with a grand staircase.

"I'm not really sure if this is the place for you, Gambit" she said as she turned a corner, "The school has some very strict rules."

There were two people walking down the hall that Ororo led him into, she continued to chatter about the school and the curriculum but he stopped listening. One of the people in front was a short man wearing a plaid shirt wrapped around the thick muscles of his arms. The second was a woman with long, curly aurburn hair that cascaded down her back and stopped just above the swell of her round behind.

Remy's first thought was how delectable she looked.

His second was that he was sure he recognised that behind and that shade of aurburn hair. The last person he'd seen it on had it cropped to shoulder length, but the curls were the same. Sure enough she flicked a white strand out of her face and he knew it was her.

"Rogue!" he called out.

She stopped and turned to look at him, a smile still lit her face from the conversation she was having with her friend. That smile froze on her face as her green as August eyes met his red and black ones for the first time in ten years. She stood stock still and stared at him, but she didn't say a word.

He moved to step closer to her, "Rogue" he said softly, "It's Remy."

Remy wasn't sure why he was prompting her, she had to remember him. He sure remembered her and the times they had spent together. He remembered the last time he ever saw her, sleeping soundly in his bed as he slipped out like the thief he was.

She had told him she loved him that night.

She had to remember.

"M- Rogue, do you know this guy?" the gruff little man asked, shoving an unlit cigar into his mouth and chewing on the end.

"Remy" Ororo came up from behind him, "How do you know our Rogue?"

Remy turned to look at Ororo before returning Rogue's gaze, she was still staring at him with her mouth open as though he was a mirage. "Worked f'r Misty at de same time" he muttered, beginning to feel embarrassed that she didn't recognise him.

"Is this-" the whiskery man stood next to Rogue started, pulling the cigar out of his mouth as he practically growled, "Is this the guy you told me about?"

Slowly Rogue nodded, "This is Gambit." She said it so quietly he almost wasn't sure he heard.

"Knew yo' recognised dis one!" he practically cheered, making a move to throw his arms around her.

He was stopped by the feral looking man who stood in front of her, his hand pulled out in front of him in a fist motion with three long, metal claws coming out from between his knuckles.

The sight sent shivers running up Remy's spine.

"You don't touch her" he practically spat.

"Wolverine!" Ororo chastised.

Remy was sure the confusion was down to Rogue's mutation. She had the ability to absorb memories, powers and the very life force of anyone that made skin contact with her. Luckily for him, Remy's mutation seemed to produce a static shield around him, at one time he had thought it was just around his brain and protected him from psychics, but it also seemed to shield him from Rogue's mutation as well.

"It's okay" he started, turning to look at Logan as Rogue seemed to have once again lost the ability to form words. "M' mutation-"

"I know all about yer powers, bub" the Canadian bit out, "Too bad they don't protect yeh from mine."

"Logan" Rogue sighed from behind him.

Before Logan could carry out whatever he seemed to be planning a door between the two of them opened and the infamous Charles Xavier wheeled out. "Good morning Remy, Logan" he smiled pleasantly, "Perhaps the two of you might like to continue this is my office."

Remy had only ever heard of Charles Xavier through his reputation and the work he had done for mutants over the years. If he was honest, he had expected to be disappointed when they did finally meet. However, the man now sat in the wheelchair had such a commanding presence and searching gaze that even the feral Wolverine took a step back.

Logan threw Remy one more dirty look before retracting those claws and following Charles back into his office. Remy glanced up at Rogue in the hope she might speak to him now that her feral guard dog was out of sight, she was not looking at him however as she ducked into the room. Ororo motioned he should follow and they both piled in.

Logan was banging a fist against Charles' desk, "He shouldn't be here, Chuck" he said angrily, "I want him out."

"Excuse me, Logan-" Ororo started.

"Non" Remy interrupted, holding out a hand to silence her. "Excuse moi monsior, but who died an' made yo' God?"

Logan turned and let out an honest to God growl, "I don't want you within a hundred feet of her" he said, gesturing towards Rogue.

Remy turned to see she had taken a seat, her green eyes cast down at the carpet.

"An' why n't?" Remy asked, turning back to the only person in the room who appeared to be speaking to him. "Me an' Rogue were good friends."

"Friends?" Logan snorted, beginning to pace the room out of anger. "Do you have any idea what happened to her after you left, bub?" The gruff little Canadian demanded, he was getting a little too close for Remy's liking as he narrowed his brown eyes and bared his teeth in Remy's face.

"Logan" Rogue said softly, reaching out to touch the part of his arm covered by his short sleeved shirt. "Leave it."

"No darlin', I won't leave it" he all but growled, his expression softening when he turned to look at her. "He deserves to know what he did to you."

"Remy did nothin'" he burst out, slipping back into third person due to anger.

"That's raht, Cajun" Rogue jumped in, her green eyes burned like fire as she glared at him. "Ya'll stood by an' did nothin'."

Remy started at her, confusion colouring his tone, "Yo' lost dis one, chere."

Rogue sighed and rubbed her hands over her face, taking a seat on the long sofa and looking up to fix Remy with her green eyed stare. "After yah took-" she paused and swallowed, "After yah left, Momma weren't happy with meh, and she kicked meh outta tha family." Rogue let out a long sigh and flicked her white fringe out of her eyes, ""Not before she let Sabertooth go ten rounds with meh."

Remy was speechless, "Chere-" he said softly, reaching out to touch her only to think better of it and retract his hand. He didn't know what to say or what to do to comfort her, he had thought that blood ties ran thicker than that when it came to Mystique. He'd had no idea that Rogue would end up getting hurt because of him.

But if he had, would that have changed what he'd done?

Sadly, no. He'd had no choice, and as much as he'd cared for Rogue, his job had been more important.

"She had a severe concussion, three cracked ribs, four broken, a smashed knee cap, a broken jaw, a collapsed lung and so many bruises I can't even say" Logan bit out, getting all up in Remy's face again. "He left her just enough alive to know she was about to die, an' that's on you Gumbo."

Remy was sure his face was ashen white; sure he was a picture of shock as he turned to look at Rogue. She wasn't looking at him, her green as August gaze was fixed firmly on the floor as he stared at her.

"Logan" Charles stepped in, cautioning his old friend with a gaze. "I really don't see how dragging up the past will help anyone."

"It helps everyone to know the sort of filth he is" Logan was practically foaming at the mouth as he spat in Remy's direction. For once Remy didn't have a quick or witty comeback, because this time he couldn't disagree with the Wolverine.

He had done bad things in his past life, but this? This took first place.

He ignored Logan for now, turning back to Rogue. "How did yo' live, chere?" he breathed, wondering if he had any right to ask such a question.

"Logan touched me" Rogue said simply, "He leant me his healin' factor, an' saved m' life."

Logan shrugged in return, shoving his shoulder into the door frame and looking at Rogue with a rare tenderness in his eyes, "Ain't as if you ain't saved my life every day since then" he pointed out.

A smile twisted Rogue's red lips.

"Chere, if I had known-"

"Don't pretend ya'll would have done things different" Rogue whispered, cutting him off. "Ah was jus' a job tah yah."

"That's why he can't stay here, Chuck!" Logan burst out, moving to stand in front of Rogue. "He's only out for himself."

"That's enough!" Storm burst out, moving to block Remy from Logan's view and glare at him with her ghostly grey eyes. "What has he done to deserve such savagery?"

"The memory of finding Rogue beaten and bloody in the snow still keeps me up at night" Logan spat, pointing an accusing finger at Remy. "I won't forgive him for that."

"It weren't his fault-" Rogue started but Logan silenced her with a glare.

"It's in his past Logan" Storm pointed out, the air around her crackling with intensity. "I dare say we've all done things in the past we'd rather not speak of."

Logan huffed and crossed his arms over his chest, he couldn't argue with Ororo's logic and yet he couldn't bring himself to agree with her either. Remy feared that Logan may never forgive him for what had happened to Rogue, and yet he couldn't bring himself to care, there was only one person's forgiveness he wanted.

Yet she had refused to look at him since she had last spoken.

"Right, as I severely doubt I'm going to get a truce here before midnight why don't you take Remy to his room, Ororo?" Charles suggested, taking charge of the situation again. "Logan, if you cannot be civil then I suggest you avoid situations which may cause you to be rude."

Logan snorted but didn't argue; instead he moved to sit beside Rogue and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. Remy was surprised when she didn't even flinch, in fact she barely even seemed to notice the contact. She barely let anyone share air with her the last time he had seen her, now she didn't shrug away from a casual touch.

A lot had changed, it seemed.

"Rogue, are you comfortable with this situation?" Charles asked softly.

"We don't turn our back on someone in need" she said quietly, "No matter who they are."

Logan shook his head, "Knew it was a bad idea bringin' her here, Charles" he said, shaking his head as Ororo ushered Remy out of the room. "You've turned her soft."

Charles laughed, "She's turned you soft."

"Yah'll are both soft, in the head" Rogue teased and it was the last Remy heard of the conversation as Storm practically dragged him out of the room. He didn't want to leave, he wanted to stay and tell Rogue how sorry he was. But she didn't want to listen to him yet, so he would wait.

He would wait until the right moment, and he would win her back


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: No Remy LeBeau is not mine, I'm not that lucky in love_

 **Chapter Two**

Remy found her the next morning in the kitchen, sitting alone at the island and drinking a strong cup of coffee. She hadn't seen his entrance because she wasn't looking at the door, rather she seemed lost in thought as she traced nonsense patterns over the wood of the table with her finger. Her nails were painted blood red, her hair tied in a bun at the top of her head and she wore loose fitting black jog pants that hid what he remembered of her mouth-watering figure.

She still looked positively edible, with her rosy cheeks and ruby red lips.

What he wouldn't give to taste her again.

"G'mornin' chere" he said softly so not to startle her, moving all thoughts away from what he'd like to do with his mouth. "Dere fresh coffee?" he asked.

"In the pot" she murmured, not looking up from the table.

"Yo' still drown yo'rs in sugar an' cream?" he asked, wrinkling his nose as he poured himself a mug before moving to take a seat beside her at the island.

She still hadn't looked up from the table and she didn't answer him.

"C'mon chere" he said imploringly, he might have tried to use his eyes to charm her if she was even looking at him. "We used to be friends, non?"

"Ah didn't think we were ever friends, Cajun" she said in that soft as honey voice, before turning those big green eyes on him.

"Well-"

"Ah told yah Ah loved yah" she pointed out, her green eyes wide now. "Ah weren't real candid about mah feelin's."

"Rogue" he chastised softly, "Y' were on'y sixteen."

"An' ya'll were twenty one" she pointed out, moving to pour the rest of her coffee down the sink. "Old enough tah know better."

"I never did apologise f'r what happened between us" he said, moving to follow her.

"It's too late."

"Let me make it up t' yo'" he begged, trapping her with his arms as she tried to move and boxing her into a corner.

"Yah can't."

He was a breath away from her face and as he stared into those green as August eyes he started to remember all the reasons he'd fallen for her in the first place. He was starting to wonder if she felt it too as his eyes shined brighter and her breath hitched.

Remy wondered if he leaned in to kiss her if she'd let him.

"Hey Rogue" a cheerful voice interrupted and a blonde haired boy entered the kitchen, he was holding a magazine in one hand and seemed to be too absorbed in it to notice much of his surroundings. As Rogue stumbled to put some space between them the new comer looked up and smiled, "You're up early again."

"Logan had meh in the danger room at six" she said, shrugging as she turned her back on Remy.

"He wants to turn you into a one woman war machine" the blonde boy teased, reaching out to pat her on the shoulder sympathetically on his way to the refrigerator.

She did not flinch away from the contact and it made Remy wonder again about the state of her mutation.

"Yo' a lot more touchy dan dis one remember, chere" he said, not bothering to keep his voice down as he let a smile slip on to his face. "Well, not _a lot_ more."

Rogue blushed red as she caught the double meaning of his words and turned to glare at him. The newcomer seemed oblivious however and smiled in Remy's direction, "It's all part of our master plan, right Rogue?" he winked at her.

"Tah help with mah control" Rogue explained when she spotted Remy's look of confusion, "The Prof reckons if Ah ain't afraid o' mah mutation, it might be easier tah control it."

"Except Logan is the only one she would ever let touch her before now" the blonde boy with the blue eyes teased.

"Logan cain't die, iceboy" Rogue teased right back.

"Mebbe I could help" Remy pitched in.

Rogue's head whipped back around, "Not on yoar life, Cajun" she hissed.

"Did I miss an introduction somewhere?" Iceboy asked.

"Remy, this is Bobby Drake" Rogue said, turning back to face him. "Bobby, this is Remy LeBeau. Ah met him when Ah worked for thah Brotherhood, mah powers don't work on him."

"Oh" Bobby's enthusiastic expression dropped a couple of degrees. "That's good though right?" He said, falsely chipper. "Someone else to practise with."

"Remy would love t' help de chere _practise_."

Remy was sure Rogue was the only one to catch the double meaning of his words as she once again turned to glare at him.

"Well, it's not like she's short of volunteers" Bobby chided, moving to jab her teasingly in the arm. "I have to beg her to let me in the gym with her, and even then she won't let me help."

"An' don't wanna hurt yah, Bobby" she said softly, rolling her eyes and she turned to smile at him again. "Ah've hurt a lotta people, an' Ah'd feel jus' awful if somethin' happened tah yah."

Bobby sighed and shook his head, "Nothing's going to happen to me" he chided softly. "Are you teaching a class this morning?"

"Ah'm free until after lunch."

"Sucks to be me then" Bobby sighed, "I gotta go, teaching double period History with Storm."

Then with a final wave he left the room.

"He's sweet on y'" Remy said, breaking the silence and turning Rogue's attention back to him.

"No he ain't" Rogue huffed, rolling her eyes and turning back to face him with her arms crossed over her chest and her hip thrust into the counter. "He's jus' a nice guy, ya'll don't know what that looks like."

Remy shrugged as he moved a step closer to her, "Yo' sweet on him?" He asked, moving so there was a breath of air between their faces. "Or do yo' still prefer a bit of spice?"

Rogue shook her head as she looked at him, "Got burned enough foar one lifetime."

Remy reached out to ghost her hip with his fingers, "Wit' fire comes passion" he said.

"Ah ain't real interested" she told him, before her hand crushed his wrist in a death grip. "Yoar still as charmin' as ever, guess ten years don't change much."

"Don't change m' feelin's f'r yo'" he breathed.

"Save it, Cajun" she bit out, shoving his hand back towards him and turning away.

"Come on, Rogue" he wheedled, moving in behind her again. "'M tryin' t' apologise here."

"Well ya'll ain't real good at it" she hissed, her back to him and her hands on the counter. He wanted to reach out and wrap his arms around her waist, but he guessed that wouldn't end well.

"Yo' ain't givin' me de chance" he pointed out.

"An' ya'll think yah deserve it!" She burst out, whipping around to face him with a fire in her eyes. "Do ya'll know what Victor said t' me, that day mah momma sent him after me, cuz o' you."

"Rogue-"

She shook her head but her voice was steady as she continued, "He said 'the Cajun was right, you're just as tasty as you look.'"

Remy's stomach dropped as he reached for her again, "Rogue, I never-"

She cut him off as she stepped away from him, "Lahke Ah said, save it Cajun" she cut him a glare, "Ah don't believe a word."

Then before he could stop her, she had turned and left him alone in the kitchen.

He hesitated, knowing that moment of hesitation would cost him everything.

As soon as he entered the hallway she was gone, and he couldn't even begin to think of where he might find her.

He signed and leant up against the wall, dropping his head back and rubbing his hands over his eyes.

Remy didn't remember Rogue being so difficult in the past.

If only he hadn't been so naive when he was younger, so willing to believe every lie his father told him. Then maybe he wouldn't have made the choices he had, and Rogue wouldn't have been caught up in it.

Just thinking about what he'd done to her made him feel sick.

 _Ten years earlier.._

 _Remy hadn't wanted to use Rogue, he had hoped there would be a way to get what he needed without her. But he was getting a lot of pressure from his father and he needed to solve this problem as quickly as he possibly could._

 _He'd already been with the Brotherhood longer than planned, and that had a lot to do with the woman he was currently searching for._

 _It was high time he finished what he'd started, and Rogue was the one to help._

 _Luckily for him, Mystique didn't trust Rogue to be alone for long periods of time and as a result she barely left the warehouse they were currently using as a base. Remy wasn't sure where it was, but he was sure she had a room somewhere here._

 _The control Mystique had over her was scary._

 _It didn't take long to find her, she had taken over one of the tables they always used for meetings in the middle of the warehouse. He leant up against one of the walls in the dark and just watched her._

 _Her hair was hanging over her face in tight ringlets, it was cropped so short he could see the base of her pale neck as she leant over the table. She was wearing baggy shorts and a t-shirt two sizes too big for her, but all of Mystique's efforts to mask her femininity failed. Rogue had just turned sixteen a few weeks earlier, and her womanly curves were beginning to become evident to more than just him._

 _She moved so she was standing on one foot, the other resting on her calf and as she bent over he had the perfect view of her shapely behind._

 _As much as he enjoyed watching her, if he didn't start with the plan now then he never would._

 _"Bonjour, ma Cherie" he purred from his hiding place, he always found that taking Rogue by surprise was the best way to catch her off guard._

 _She glanced up as though she wasn't shocked to find him lurking in a dark corner of the warehouse at this time of night. "Hey Cajun" she said softly, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear and looking back at the blueprints on the table. "Whatcha doin' skulkin' 'round here?"_

 _"Lookin' f'r some entertainment" he said, stepping out of the shadows and moving towards her quietly._

 _"Ain't cha always" she rolled her eyes and huffed out a breath. "Buzz off, 'M busy."_

 _"Busy wit' dat new job?" he asked, stopping when his thighs hit the table in front of her._

 _She looked up at him with those sharp green eyes. Rogue was only young, a child really compared to every other piece of filth skulking around this place. But she had been through so much in her short life that it had both aged and hardened her._

 _"Why so interested?" she asked, narrowing her eyes suspiciously._

 _Rogue wasn't like a lot of girls he'd met in the past, she wasn't dense or easily fooled by his charms and flattery. She saw through his beauty and hypnosis right down to the core. It made his job so much more difficult, but so much more fascinating at the same time._

 _Remy had been with the Brotherhood six months now, and he always made it his mission to be around Rogue. Even to just be in the same room with her, if his schedule and her mother would allow it. He knew she was attracted to him, even if he hadn't been an Empath he would have known that. It was obvious from her breathy voice, the way she held herself when she was around him and the way her pupils dilated when they made eye contact._

 _Yet, Rogue was never receptive to his subtle advances._

 _Even girls that weren't attracted to him had crumbled to his charms faster than her._

 _He found the game just irresistible._

 _"'M always interested in what yo' do, chere" he said softly, reaching out to stroke her cheek._

 _She jerked back out of his reach, "Honey dripper" she accused, turning her back on him to hide a smile._

 _Resistant to his charms, but not immune._

 _She was a woman after all._

 _"Come on, chere" he wheedled, "Yo' been workin' on dis all day, take a break non?"_

 _"Forget it Cajun" she said, shifting through some papers and refusing to meet his gaze. "Ah don't have tahme f'r yah games, Momma will have mah head if Ah don't get this done."_

 _"Yo' work too hard" he chastised, sitting on the edge of the table and placing his hands on her hips, "C'm on over here f'r a sec."_

 _Rogue sighed but allowed him to pull her in between his legs. She placed her hands on his chest and attempted to glare at him, "Don't be startin' now, Swamp Rat" she warned._

 _"Who, me?" he grinned, pretending to be offended. "Got sutin' t' ask yo'."_

 _"Can yah make it quick?" she asked, but as she moved her hands up his shoulders he knew she wasn't as sore as she made out to be._

 _He placed his bare hands over the top of hers, because she had been alone before he turned up she wasn't wearing gloves. Her hands felt warm beneath his and he immediately felt her freeze. He and Rogue had touched only a hand full of times since they had discovered he was immune to her powers, and every time she panicked as though he would drop dead any second._

 _"How come yo' never touch me?" he asked softly, moving his fingers to stroke the top of her hands._

 _"Ah-" she struggled, as he felt her pleasure and terror both simultaneously spike._

 _He moved her hands to his lap and held them between his own, catching her started gaze in his._

 _"Don't yo' wanna find out what it might be like?" he asked gently._

 _"What?" she said, her mouth hung slightly open._

 _"T' kiss a man."_

 _She jerked away immediately, "Ah know tha feelin'" she said sharply, moving her body away from his._

 _He moved fast, catching her waist in his hands and putting himself back into her line of vision. "P'shaw" he reached to take her face in his hands, "Not wit' a man, chere."_

 _"Remy, Ah don't think-"_

 _"Ain't no time f'r thinkin' here, chere."_

 _Then he moved her mouth towards his and he kissed her._

 _It was everything a first kiss should be, it was soft and hesitant. Rogue was testing the waters and he didn't want to push her._

 _Until she moved her hands to take two fistfuls of his jacket lapels and pulled him closer into her body._

 _From that moment it was like a gun had been fired and they were both desperate to reach the finish line. The kiss was hot and wet, it was all skin and hands moving to touch as much of each other as possible._

 _It was so good he had almost forgotten why he had to do it._

 _Almost._


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: I own nothing her, just an unnatural obsession with Remy LeBeau._

 **Chapter Three**

Rogue had never fainted before, but right now she honestly felt like she might.

Her lungs burned as she slammed her bedroom door shut, taking a long, deep breath. Her vision was blurry and the room was starting to spin, if she didn't get a grip on herself then she'd end up in a pile on the floor.

She just couldn't believe him.

Remy LeBeau.

When he'd first arrived last night she'd had a difficult enough time accepting the fact he was stood in front of her, looking no different than the last time she had seen him. But now she had to cope with seeing him everywhere, that he would touch her freely and flirt with her openly and there was nothing she could do about it.

Rogue's knees gave in and she sank to the ground.

She had always avoided thinking about Remy if she could help it because she never felt good when she did.

The sensations were always the same as they had been right from the moment she'd woken up alone that morning. The heart wrenching sorrow when she realised he hadn't actually cared about her, the sickening shame when she realised she'd been used and the overwhelming terror at the thought of what her mother would say.

Even to this day she could remember it, but now she had to deal with entirely new feelings.

It was the gut feeling, the sickening stomach sinking feeling that you couldn't ignore even if you knew you shouldn't be feeling it. That was what she felt when she looked at him. Not because she hated the person he was, deep down she had always known that, but because when she looked at him she remembered all the times they had shared together.

That was what made her sick.

Just seeing his face now, and remembering all the lies she once believed coming out of his mouth. The shame bubbled in her stomach, hot and fast.

Rogue stood quickly, stumbling slightly as the blood rushed from her head at the sudden movement.

She couldn't allow herself to wallow in self pity, she'd spent the majority of her life that way thanks to her mutation and she would be damned if she'd let all those feelings come back just because of a man.

A man that meant nothing to her.

She quickly stripped off her clothes and jumped in the shower, washing the smell of Remy off her skin and letting the pounding of the warm water sooth her. She ducked her head under the water and let it wash away all thoughts of Remy LeBeau and his charming ways.

By the time she had dressed and left her room she felt marginally better, but a part of her wanted to constantly check herself to make sure her hair was right and that her make up looked okay. Then she would check herself because she was stupid for wanting to impress a man that didn't care about her.

By the time she made it to the wreck room she had straightened her dress three times, and she wanted to mentally slap herself in the face.

Luckily she found the space to be completely Remy free, and made her way over to the table her two closest friends in the Mansion were currently occupying.

She dumped all the English papers she had to mark down on the table and slumped down into the one remaining seat.

"What's up with you?" Jubilee asked, cocking her head as she considered Rogue.

Jubilation Lee was a relatively new member of their little group, and Rogue still found her a lot to take sometimes. As she was only eighteen she had not been drafted into the X-Men, something she complained about loudly and often. But she and Rogue had bonded because the girl was so happy all the time, like a constant ray of sunshine. It was nice to have a friend around who didn't flinch every time you moved.

"Logan had me in the Danger Room at fahve" Rogue huffed, sorting her papers into piles.

"I swear you're his own personal project" Kitty said, flicking a hair out of her face as she glanced up from the book she was reading.

Apart from Logan, Kitty was Rogue's oldest friend in the mansion. They weren't a lot a like and Rogue often wondered how they had become friends in the first place. But now that they were, she knew there wasn't anyone alive that cared for her or would fight for her more ferociously that Katheryn Pryde.

"Ah think he just lahkes takin' lumps outta meh" Rogue shrugged as she searched through her bag for a pen.

"He better not" Jubilee wagged her finger, "I've got my eyes on a nice little strappy number for you, that will not go well with bruises."

Rogue rolled her eyes, "Ain't exactly got the skin for that, Jubes" she pointed out.

"All part of your practice" Jubilee winked as though it was a big conspiracy.

Rogue turned to look at Kitty, who just rolled her eyes in a way that said, _you can't stop her, so don't bother trying._

So Rogue decided that grading her papers in piece would be a better way to spend her time than starting an argument she was bound to lose.

She even managed to get through half of them before Jubilee started running her mouth again.

She practically knocked over a mug in her haste to slap Kitty on the arm.

"Oh my God!" she all but squealed, "Now that's a man!"

Kitty sighed, "Jubes would you give it up, Sam just isn't interested."

"Use your eyes girl!" Jubilee hissed.

Kitty's breathing suddenly became sharp, "Oh my God!"

Her squeal wasn't quite as high pitched as Jubilee's, but Rogue still winced.

"He's so hot" Jubilee whispered, "He looks like he walked straight out of GQ."

"I know!" Kitty agreed, "He's like, photoshopped."

"What are ya'll chunnerin' about?" Rogue interrupted, not bothering to look up from the papers she was grading.

"The new guy!" Jubilee said, rolling her eyes.

She made a motion and Rogue glanced up to see Remy sat against one of the tables chatting casually with Pete.

"Even you have to admit he's just built for sex."

"Jubilee!" Kitty hissed, glancing around to check no one had heard them.

"What?" The little firecracker grinned, "God doesn't make men like that for anything else."

"Well Ah wouldn't know nothin' about that" Rogue said, even though she really did. She turned her focus back to her papers to tried and ignore the sudden nausea in the pit of her stomach. "But Ah can introduce ya'll, that right there is Remy LeBeau."

Both Jubilee and Kitty turned their inquisitive eyes on her, "How do you know him?" Kitty demanded.

Which was just another way of saying, _why would a man like that be interested in a girl that he couldn't touch?_ Not that Kitty had anything to worry about on that score; Remy wasn't interested in her as far as she could tell. He just wanted her to think he felt sorry for what had happened all that time ago.

Not that she believed him.

"He worked foar mah momma foar a couple o' months" Rogue shrugged, tapping her pen against the English papers that obviously weren't going to get graded today.

"He was in the Brotherhood?" Kitty whispered.

"Nah" Rogue flipped her hair out of her face, "He was a mercenary foar hire, Momma jus' loaned him out."

"I wouldn't mind loaning him out, either" Jubilee practically drooled.

Rogue rolled her eyes, "Ya'll maht not want tah be so obvious."

"I'm not being obvious" Jubilee said, flicking her hair over her shoulder as she turned to glare at Rogue. "It's not like he can hear us."

"Remy's an empath" Rogue snorted, "Ya'll are probably shoutin' yoar feelin's at him."

Jubilee and Kitty both looked at each other wide eyed with dread as a smooth voice said, "Now chere, don't be givin' away all Gambit's secrets."

They all looked up to see none other than Remy LeBeau staring down at them, his red and black eyes shining out like a beacon.

"What do yah want, Cajun?" Rogue snapped, as both of her friends seemed to have gone selectively mute.

"Thought I'd come on over an' introduce myself" he winked at her in a way that she used to find charming, "Seems de gentlemanly thing t' do."

"Shame ya'll ain't no gentleman" Rogue bit back.

"Rogue!" Kitty hissed, throwing her a glare. "Don't be rude."

"Don't worry yo'self non, petite" Remy said, fixing his face with his most charming smile. "De chere an' me go way back."

"Too far" Rogue put in, she said it quietly in the hope he wouldn't hear but his eyes still shone red when he looked at her.

She had forgotten how mesmerising his eyes were, how easy it was to get lost in those rubies shining out against the the black. Rogue couldn't tell if it was that or Remy's charm that was making her friends uncomfortable, either way they both refused to meet his eyes.

"Remy LeBeau" he said, holding out his hand to Kitty. When she took it he leant down to brush a kiss against the back of her hand. "Enchante."

Kitty promptly turned the colour of a beetroot.

Rogue rolled her eyes.

Jubilee practically sent papers flying everywhere as she threw herself across the sofa, "And I'm Jubilee" she said, grinning and holding her hand out. "But you can call me Jubes."

"Nice t' meet yo', petite" Remy's smile was so wide he was showing two rows of perfect teeth. "Always good t' meet a friend of mah Cherie."

He reached over to stoke her hair but Rogue knocked his hand aside and stood, glaring at him.

"Ah need coffee" she announced.

She didn't wait for anyone to try and stop her, simply turned on her heel and marched straight towards the door.

"Hold up dere, chere" Remy called after her, "Fancy some old joe m'self."

Rogue didn't pause or give him the chance to catch up, she was halfway down the hall when he caught her around the wrist and pulled her back.

"Rogue!"

She pulled her wrist back but he didn't let go, instead she found herself face to face with the damn Cajun, her wrist still caught between his fingers.

"Yo' can't do dis f'ever, chere" he chastised.

"Watch me" she hissed, pulling at her wrist again. He held fast and in the tussle they somehow ended up closer together.

"We gotta be civil, chere" he said softly, holding her wrist up close to his face as he stepped into her. "Yo' know we gotta live together."

"It's a big mansion" she bit back, pulling against his grip.

"Well, I ain't having it!" He said, his eyes narrowed and he pulled her even closer towards him.

"What are yah gonna do?" she snorted, still trying in vain to get her wrist back.

Until she glanced up and their eyes met.

Something passed between the two of them that she hadn't felt since the last time she had seen him. Suddenly she was extremely aware of how close they were, and that his bare finger was brushing against the skin of her wrist. It was like a challenge, the defiance and the stand off just made her think of the way they had behaved when they first met. With his open flirting and her complete shut downs, it had been the most fun she had ever had.

Not that she would ever tell him that.

"How 'bout I show yo'?" the corner of his mouth was pulled up in a lopsided smile and one of his eyebrows was raised.

Rogue's stomach contracted, and for the first time since she'd laid eyes on him yesterday, it wasn't out of fear or disgust.

Almost as though he had taken that as an invitation he bent down so quickly she had no time to react before he had his arms around her knees and had pulled her up onto his shoulder.

"Me an' yo' are gonna have a little talk, chere" he said, before turning and walking in the opposite direction.

"Remy!" she all but screamed, thumping him on the back.

She felt ashamed, because she had been taught to and had successfully gotten herself out of this hold on countless occasions in the past. But even as she struggled, Remy held her fast. Not only did he know her so well he could predict what she would do, but he also wasn't afraid to touch her.

"Yo'll thank me f'r this later" he promised her, patting her on the leg.

"Put meh down Remy or Ah swear-"

"Yo' what, wriggle yo' lil behind a bit more?" he said, and she could hear the smile in his words.

"Put meh down yah damn dirty Swamp Rat!" she screeched, swinging her legs.

He laughed, "Jus' like old times" he said, before dumping her in a store cupboard just off the second hallway.

He stepped in after her and closed the door with a snap.

"Let me outta here, Remy" she said, attempting to move around him as he blocked her exit. "Don't make me hurt yah."

"Can't do dat, chere" he said, leaning against the door and gazing at her with those intense red eyes. "Can't go any longer wit' yo' hatin' me."

She let out a loud, frustrated groan and turned her back on him.

He was the most infuriating person she had ever met in her life.

"'Sides" he shrugged, "'Least yo' feelin' sutin' f'r me now, non?"

She shot him a glare, "Sure am" she agreed, "Hatred."

"Any emotion is better dan none at all" he said, taking a step closer to her. She'd forgotten how big and warm he was, with his wide shoulders he was taking up most of the space in the small cupboard.

"Mebe Ah could feel nothin'" she said, crossing her arms over her chest in an attempt to put some space between them. "If ya'll weren't so infuriatin'."

"Get under yo' skin" he grinned, running a single finger down her arm.

"In all the worst ways" she said, with as much venom as possible.

"Yo' get under mine in jus' de best ways" he said, his eyes glowing red on the last two words and sending a shiver down her spine.

"Remy, stop" she said, holding out both hands so they rested against his chest as he stepped into her. "Ah ain't sixteen anymore, yo' can't charm m' outta bein' angry."

"Ain't tryin' chere" he said, placing his own hands on top of hers. "Jus' can't bare yo' hoppin' 'round hatin' me."

"Yah deserve it" she pointed out, enjoying the warmth of his fingers too much to move her hands just yet.

"An' worse" he agreed, "An' I wanna make it right, jus' need yo' cooperation."

She pulled her hands out of his grip, "Remy Ah ain't a kid no more, Ah know ya'll had a job to do back then and family problems" she sighed, sitting down on an upturned mop bucket. "Sho' Ah woulda done tha same if Momma had asked."

"So yo' ain't mad?" he reached for her.

She held up a hand to stop him, "Ah weren't never mad about that" she explained, "It was the pretendin' that hurt meh, the way ya'll acted around meh lahke Ah was tha only gal in the world-" he voice wobbled so she broke off with a snort.

Remy knelt in front of her, "Rogue-" he said softly.

"No Cajun, yah can't ask meh to forgive that or tah trust yah again" she said sharply, "If yah want meh to stop acting this way then yah gotta do somethin'."

"Anythin'" he agreed quickly.

"Stop actin' like yah did then, like yah want meh an' no one else."

"Rogue it weren't never an act-"

She stood up quickly, "I don't believe yah" she said harshly, "An until ya'll stop treating me lahke some gal that will jump at a pretty word, Ah'm done talking with yah."

She pushed past him and out of the door before he could say a word.


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer: I own the rights to nothing at all here._

 **Chapter Four**

Remy hadn't slept.

He rolled over in his bed to see his alarm clock flashing, mocking him with a bright and cheery 6am. He groaned and rolled back over, squashing his face up against the pillow.

He'd lay awake all night tossing and turning, thinking over what Rogue had said to him the night before.

The impossible ultimatum.

Rogue would only be civil to him if he stopped his advances, because she didn't think his feelings for her were real.

Remy didn't want to stop because he'd never had realer feelings for anyone, and the mere memory of the last night they had spent together was sending him deranged.

He wanted to shake her, to force her to believe that he was being honest this time.

That he really cared for her.

But he couldn't even blame her for not taking him seriously. When he and Rogue had first met hadn't been the most honest person. His true self had been hidden in the middle of so many lies and innuendos, he'd often had trouble keeping them all straight.

Why would Rogue ever believe him?

How believable was it really that he had cared for her a great deal, but he'd had no choice but to choose his family.

Remy was stuck over what to do.

He could gain Rogue's forgiveness right now if he wanted it, she understood family obligations better than anyone else he knew. She certainly understood what it was like to be stuck in a family that you wanted out of.

On the other hand, if she forgave him then she would never trust him because he'd made faking all those feelings seem so real.

Because they had been real, but she'd been fed so many lies she just couldn't see that.

How could she not see that?

The thoughts that had been circling his head all night were beginning to make him dizzy. So he shoved off the comforter, hoping that a cup of coffee would help clear his head.

While also secretly hoping he would find Rogue alone in the kitchen again.

He shoved his head through a t-shirt and opened the door as he pulled it down his chest. He almost collided with another boy hurrying down the corridor as he left his room.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" the blonde boy said brightly, pausing in his assault down the hallway.

Remy looked into those ice chip blue eyes for half a second before he realised who he was talking to. It was Iceboy, the one that had flirted with Rogue in the kitchen yesterday morning.

Bobby.

"Quite alright, mon ami" he said, stepping aside to clear the hallway. "Where yo' off to in such a hurry?"

"Danger Room" Bobby said uneasily, "We have training this morning."

"We?" Remy asked, raising an eyebrow.

"The X-Men" Bobby clarified, "And I don't want to be rude but I really should" he motioned down the hallway.

He had started walking again before Remy could stop him.

"Hey, hold up" Remy called, pacing down the hallway after him. "How come Gambit weren't invited?"

Bobby looked awkward as he took the stairs two at a time and avoiding meeting Remy's gaze, "You've only been here a day" he reasoned, "The Professor probably wanted you to get settled first."

"De Prof run dese sessions?" Remy asked as they hit the entryway, Bobby would set a new record if he didn't slow down.

"No" he said awkwardly, clearing his throat and pressing the button to call the elevator. "Logan does."

"Ah."

Well that explained it, the Wolverine wasn't his biggest fan anyway and Remy guessed that he'd only want him in the Danger Room if there was some opportunity to knock seven bells out of him. Otherwise, he doubted the other man wanted him within 100 feet of Rogue.

"Do him an' Rogue got a thing goin'?" he asked as Bobby stepped into the elevator, following him in.

"Rogue and Logan?" Bobby snorted, "Of course not! He's old enough to be her great-great grandfather."

"Her papa, mebe" Remy agreed, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, but with his-" Bobby paused as though suddenly sensed he had said too much. He stopped and cleared his throat again, "They're just friends" he clarified.

Remy nodded and followed Bobby out of the elevator into what appeared to be the basement.

"So, what dis Danger Room here involve?" he asked, looking around curiously.

Bobby sighed, finally stopping his military like march he turned to face Remy. "Look, I'll help you out if you want, just don't go making any trouble, alright?"

"Sho' thing, kid" Remy shrugged easily.

"Come on" Bobby sighed again, leading him into another room that appeared to be a men's locker room.

The room was empty aside from one man, who's thighs were easily as big as Rogue's waist. He was changing into a shirt, and his bare chest was solid muscle with a tight row of eight impressive abs.

"Hey Pete" Bobby waved, "This is Remy."

"We met yesterday" he said easily, holding his hand out again.

"You are friend of Rogue" Pete nodded, shaking his hand easily.

"There's some spare gym stuff in that cupboard" Bobby said, indicating with his thumb. "You'd better change."

"Change f'r what?" He asked, opening the cupboard and examining an old pair of sweat pants.

"To get your ass kicked by Rogue probably" Bobby snorted, pulling off his shirt.

Remy paused in pulling on a sweatshirt, "What?"

"Rogue is tough fighter" Pete agreed, nodding to himself as he laced up his trainers.

"Yeah she could totally take you, man" Bobby laughed, shutting his locker.

"Yo' think we ain't fought in de past?" Remy said, pushing the cupboard door shut and shoving his feet into a pair of trainers. "Remy knows all de chere's moves."

"From ten years ago, I heard" Bobby ribbed in a good nature, throwing Remy a grin to show he wasn't being serious. "She's learned some new moves since then."

"Taught her everythin' she knows" Remy shook his head.

"I'm sure she taught you some things too" Bobby laughed.

"Ain't dat de truth" Remy smiled to himself, pulling out a pair of sneakers before shoving the door to the cupboard closed.

Bobby threw a sideways glance to Pete before saying, "Hey man, can I ask you something?"

Remy glanced up from tying his laces but didn't respond.

Bobby didn't seem to be waiting for a response as he ploughed on, "Are you like, an ex-boyfriend of Rogue's?"

"Hopin' f'r some tips on how t' land de catch?" Remy grinned.

Bobby's cheeks pinked slightly which gave Remy all the answer he needed. "It's just people have been talking a lot, about how close you are with her and why she's so mad with you."

"Come up wit' anythin' good?" Remy raised an eyebrow.

"I suppose people are just curious" Bobby glanced down at his hands and cleared his throat, "About how Rogue could even have a boyfriend with her mutation."

"Yo' curious?" Remy asked, and Bobby finally lifted his head to look into his eyes again.

"We should be going" Pete said, interrupting as he turned to move towards the door. "The training will be starting."

"Yo' gotta learn t' experiment, mon ami" Remy threw Bobby a wink and patted him on the shoulder as he passed. "Takes a real man t' handle de Rogue."

He left Bobby pondering over that as he followed Pete through the door and into the Danger Room. He didn't have chance to think of much else, as he caught sight of Rogue in spandex and all other thoughts were immediately driven from his head.

She was stretching forward to touch her toes, but Logan was stood beside her and as he said something she leaned up and laughed. A tall man with dark hair and wearing a red visor was stood at her other side, talking to a pretty girl with a brown ponytail who Rogue had introduced him to just yesterday.

He vaguely remembered something about a cat.

"Hey guys" Bobby said as they made their way over to the group, "I brought a straggler."

All four of them looked up, both Logan and the visor man narrowed their eyes. Well, Remy assumed he narrowed his eyes, with that visor blocking his face it was difficult to tell.

Kitty blushed and flicked her hair off her face while Rogue slowly roved her eyes up his body.

"See somethin' yo' like, chere?" he asked, holding out his arms so she could fully examine him.

He had no idea what had made him say it, other than being completely unable to control his mouth around her.

"Why'd you bring him?" Logan barked, stepping in front of Rogue and blocking his view.

"We've all got to live together, Logan" Bobby sighed, running a hand through his spiked hair.

"Doesn't mean he needs to be in my Danger Room" Logan pointed out.

"I don't like it either, Logan" said the pretty boy, glaring at Remy though that red tinted visor. "But as the Professor wants him to be a part of the team, we don't have much choice."

"Better hope you don't come across me in there, bub" Logan growled.

"Ain't sure Storm would be too happy if yah turned her friend into sushi, Logan" Rogue teased, softly punching him in the arm.

"Yeah" Kitty agreed, "You are like a walking lighting rod."

Logan huffed but caught Rogue in a headlock, who laughed but allowed him to pull her into him. "What we doin' in here then, One-Eye?"

One-Eye shook his head and Remy imagined, rolled his eyes for good measure. "You're all a pain in my ass."

"Don't pretend to don't love us, Scott" Kitty sang.

Scott shook his head again as he pulled out several pieces of cloth from his pocket, half were red and the other half were blue.

"It's a simple game of capture the flag, with a bit of a twist" he explained, waving the cloth around slightly. "There are two teams, everyone gets one of these and the aim is to capture as many from the opposing team as possible."

"Like gym class all over again" Remy grinned.

"Feel free to leave any time, bub" Logan growled.

"An' miss yo' charming presence?" Remy feigned shock.

"Would you two stop?" Scott cut in, "Remy perhaps you should be on my team, to keep you out of trouble."

"That ain't possible, Scott" Rogue said, crossing her arms over her chest and shoving one shoulder into the wall.

"Yo' bring it out in me, chere" he threw a wink at her as he sauntered past.

"You better be on my team then, kid" Logan put in, grabbing a hold of her elbow and pulling her as far away from Remy as he could manage.

"Are any of the rest of us going to get teams?" Bobby asked, scratching the top of his head.

"I've got no problem being on Remy's team" Kitty grinned, cocking her head as she glanced over towards him.

"Well thanks to Gumbo, the teams are uneven" Logan said, "Maybe someone should sit out."

"How 'bout yo' mon ami?" Remy suggested.

"Hold up, Logan" Rogue reached out to grab his arm before he could stalk over and Remy assumed, stick him full of those metal claws. "We can play a man down, sho' we'll manage."

The way she looked at him, with a little smirk lilting her lips and her eyes sparkling green, she looked just like he remembered.

The way she would look just before Mystique sent her out on a mission, a hot mix of mischievousness and deadliness.

He couldn't help but smile.

"Fine, then I'll have Kitty" Scott nodded.

Kitty squealed happily before hopping over to their group, clapping her hands together happily.

"You're with us, Colossus" Logan said.

The big Russian swung his arms as he moved over to their team.

"Guess that puts me with Scott by default" Bobby sighed, moving over to their team as Scott handed out the pieces of cloth.

"Remember, no powers" Scott said sternly as he folded up the small peice of cloth and placed it in a pouch on the front of his outfit.

"What's the point in having them if you can't use them?" Bobby wanted to know.

"Wanna demo, Bobby?" Rogue asked, waving her fingers threateningly.

"No questions kid, just get over there" Logan practically growled, pulling his team to the other side of the room.

Remy knew exactly who he was going after first. Rogue hadn't let him within breathing distance of her since he'd arrived, and a little tussle between the two of them would no doubt let her get out some frustrations that she had over him.

His biggest problem would be getting past her guard dog, who as far as Remy could see had a mutation very similar to that of Victor Creed.

If Victor could sniff out Rogue's stash of red vines then he was pretty sure that Cujo could stiff him out no problem.

He needed a plan.

"So, who wants to take on de big bad wolf?" he said, turning to his team members who didn't seem to be phased by the fact that there was obstacles popping up in various locations around the room. "I say de Iceboy an' Cyclops stake him out, prolly take two t' get a handle on him."

"If Wolverine finds you in there, you're on your own man" Bobby laughed.

"And stay away from Rogue" Scott suggested, straightening his visor. "You don't want to spur him on."

They both turned and headed off into the maze without looking back.

"So much f'r de team" he muttered.

"I'll distract him" a voice said from behind him, and he turned to see Kitty looking up at him with those big, blue eyes.

"Pardon?"

"I'll distract him for you" Kitty repeated.

"No offense, petite" he said softly, "But de Wolverine could step on yo'."

"I'm stronger than I look" she assured him, patting him on the shoulder as she jogged past him.

Remy shook his head at the utter madness of this place as he moved into the maze of obstacles. His mutation ensured his agility and his years as a thief meant his footsteps were silent, giving him more than an advantage as could hear the others scuffling already. His empathy meant that he could pick out their emotions, but unfortunately he couldn't decipher the individual person based on what they felt.

Though he was sure to avoid being too close to anyone that was feeling overly angry or particularly murderous.

Even though that could be either Logan or Rogue.

Though she seemed to be itching for the fight just as much as he was, because just then a right hook hit him straight in the cheekbone and knocked the wind tight out of him. Luckily he was agile and fast on his feet, he spun around to meet her kick before she could land it in his ribs.

He could tell by the look in her eyes that she was angry and had been waiting for this moment, but he wasn't going to satisfy her by throwing a punch.

Rogue on the other hand had no such self restraint and side swiped him again. He moved an arm to parry back against her, but she was too fast. She locked her hand around his wrist and twisted him around.

Before he could move she had pinned him up against the wall with her hips.

"Little bit rusty" she whispered in his ear, the tips of her breast rubbing against his chest.

Before he could even respond, not that he was sure he could, she had leaned in and kissed him full on the mouth.

It was like he hadn't been kissed since the last time she had kissed him. She was warm and she tasted like hot coffee, and nothing else existed but Rogue's lips against his and his hands on her waist.

Until she pulled back just a fraction and grinned.

"Bang" she whispered against his mouth, "Game over."

As she took a step back he noticed she was holding the red cloth in her hand, the one that had just two minutes ago been in his front pouch.

As if he gave a damn about that.

He locked his hand around her wrist and pulled her back, "Where yo' goin'" he grinned, reeling her back in.

She twisted her hand out of his grip, "So grabby" she tutted, "Game's over, Cajun."

"Yo' tellin' me that kiss weren't real?" he shook his head, "Yo' ain't no actress, chere."

"Ain't as talented as ya'll" she cut back, glaring at him.

"Woah man!" They were interrupted as Bobby came running over and slapped Remy on the back, "That was insane!"

"What?" Remy's eyebrows knitted together, suddenly confused.

"Rogue kissed him, Bobby" Kitty pointed out, though she was staring at Remy with something a kin to hero worship. "Do you have something on your lips?"

"No way, that doesn't work" Bobby shook his head, before flushing red as everyone turned to stare at him.

"Remy is immune to mah powers" Rogue said, she sounded a little bitter as she leant up against the wall.

"So he can like, touch you?" Kitty asked, suddenly she was blushing too.

"Anyone can touch meh" Rogue rolled her eyes, "Jus' the stupid Cajun stays conscious."

"Never was one t' play by the rules" he teased.

"You so deserve a drink after this, man!" Bobby said, suddenly regaining his good humour.

"Fer what, not dyin'?" Logan said, moving to stand beside Rogue. "I'd say the opposite would have been reason to celebrate."

Remy opened his mouth but Rogue cut him a glare, "Don't start, Cajun" she sighed.

"Rogue" he reached out but she'd already pulled her arm out of his grasp.

"Jus' go back to yah fans, _cher_ " she snapped, storming out of the room before he could stop her.

Remy sighed and pushed his hair off his face.

Somehow he didn't think that letting Rogue go ten rounds with him had improved her mood at all.


	5. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer: I own nothing here, just an infinite and undying love for Remy LeBeau._

 **Chapter Five**

Rogue was not happy.

She had barely managed to escape the Danger Room without having to face a lot of awkward questions that she didn't want to answer. Somehow she'd managed to shake Logan, who seemed to understand that she just wasn't ready to talk about it.

Unfortunately Kitty couldn't take a hint, and had been on her trail from the moment she'd practically bolted from the Danger Room.

"Rogue" she squealed as Rogue threw her shoulder against her bedroom door to force it open. "Would you slow down!?"

She didn't bother to close the door behind her, as Kitty had a complete disregard for solid objects.

As she entered the room Jubilee barely glanced up from where she was sprawled across Rogue's bed reading a magazine.

"Where's the fire?" she wanted to know.

Rogue huffed irritably, "Jubilee, what in the hell are ya'll doin' here?"

"Lorna and Alex are making out in my room" Jubilee shrugged nonchalantly and flicked a page of her magazine. "It was distracting."

"From all that important news?" Kitty raised an eyebrow at the magazine.

Jubilee stuck out her tongue but didn't look up.

"Would yah get out?" Rogue yelled, throwing her hands up in the air. "'Cuz Ah sure didn't ask Xavier foar mah own room so Ah could have less privacy!"

"Chill Rogue" Jubilee frowned at her, throwing the magazine across the bed. "What crawled up your ass and died?"

"Remy LeBeau, apparently" Kitty sauntered into the room, settling herself down on the bed beside Jubilee. "She just kissed him."

"Aw hell, girl" Jubilee groaned through the biggest grin Rogue had ever seen. "How long is he gonna be out for?"

"Oh, he's not out" Kitty laughed.

"Unfortunately" Rogue muttered, closing her bedroom door and dropping herself onto the rug in the center of the room. She crossed her legs and sighed, resigning herself to the fact that she was not getting out of this easily or without explanation.

"I'm confused" Jubilee admitted, her eyebrows pulling together. "There's room right here you know, Rogue" she added, patting the bed next to her.

Rogue ignored this, "Remy's mutation is in his skin too" she explained, "Mostly he can jus' charge things full o' energy 'till they explode, but it also gives him like a shield o' energy round him."

"I'm guessing you'll be getting to the point soon?" Jubilee said.

"Jus' means m' mutation don't work on him" Rogue shrugged, "Guess Ah take all that energy, but he don't pass out."

Jubilee laughed, "No way!" she crowed, "The hottest guy in the entire mansion and you can touch him!"

"It ain't mah birthday Jubes" Rogue scowled.

"So why do you hate him so much?" Kitty wanted to know, "Is he an ex-boyfriend of yours?"

"Rogue with an ex-boyfriend!" Jubilee slapped her leg happily, "This has just about made my year."

"Ah don't hate him, an' he ain't mah ex-boyfriend."

"He's your ex-something though, isn't he?" Kitty pressed.

"Why are ya'll so interested?" Rogue wanted to know, this was beginning to more than just annoy her. "What, ah get a sex life and suddenly Ah'm jus' fascinatin'?"

"Don't be like that, Rogue" Jubilee chastised.

"Lahke what?" she bit back, "Lahke Remy bein' somethin' tah meh ain't jus' made yoar year? Lahke ya'll ain't gon' use it as a reason tah make meh wear one of those ridiculous strappy tops ya'll know Ah just hate!" She didn't know where this outburst was coming from, but now she had started she just couldn't seem to stop. "That suddenly Ah'm jus' so easier tah talk tah now Ah've kissed a boy an' he ain't passed out?"

"Rogue" Kitty said quietly, "We're your friends-"

"Then be mah friends!" she hissed, "When Ah tell yah Ah need sleeves it ain't 'cuz Ah'm bein' stubborn, it's 'cuz Ah don't want tah kill yah!"

Her voice wobbled and she stopped to take a deep breath.

Jubilee cast a sideways glance at Kitty before sliding down off the bed to sit beside her, "Rogue, I'm really sorry" she said, placing her hand on Rogue's shoulder. "I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable, I was just trying not to treat you differently because of your mutation."

"An' Ah love yah foar that, sugah" she said, smiling up at her. "But sometimes Ah have tah be treated different."

"And sometimes you don't" Kitty pointed out, slipping off the bed to join the other two on the floor. "We're your friends Rogue, we want you to talk to us because we care about you, not because we're dying for another piece of mansion gossip."

Rogue took a deep breath and looked from clear, blue eyes to deep chocolate brown ones.

Maybe it was time to talk to them, to share the secrets of her past.

The only person that she talked to about her past was Logan, and that was mostly due to the fact that he had been the one to find her. She didn't like to talk about the person she had been or the things she had done because she just hated herself for it. People already looked down on her for being a member of the Brotherhood or felt sorry for her because of her mutation, their opinion of her would only be worse once they knew some of the things she had done or that she had honestly believed a man like Remy LeBeau wanted to be with _her_.

But Jubilee and Kitty were right, they were her friends.

They deserved to know the truth.

"So Kitty, yah remember when Ah first got here an' Ah was a real mess" Rogue started, rubbing her hand up and down her arm awkwardly. "Logan kept me hidden foar a long time?"

"Sure" Kitty shrugged, "We figured it was because of your time at the Brotherhood, that Logan was afraid of what would happen if you mixed with us."

"Mebe a little" Rogue agreed, "But what Ah told yah about Logan rescuing meh from thah Brotherhood, it weren't exactly true."

"What do you mean?" Jubilee asked.

"When Remy came tah thah Brotherhood, it was foar a mission" Rogue said, "Only it weren't foar mah momma that he was workin', it was foar his daddy."

"I don't see what this has to do with-"

Rogue held her hand up to stop the interruption, "We thought he was with us 'cuz Momma was payin' him, truth was he was with us 'cuz his daddy wanted him tah steal somethin'. Only what he had to steal was information, an' not many people knew it."

"Were you one of those people?" Kitty asked quietly.

"Momma trusted meh tha most" Rogue sighed, pushing her hair off her face. "An' she didn't let me outta her sight much, so weren't likely Ah was gonna tell people. Only she didn't count on Remy, she didn't know how close we was really. She didn't know he could touch meh 'cuz Ah never told her, Ah was a naive sixteen year old that was jus' starved f'r touch. Gambit sure used that tah his advantage."

"He seduced you" Jubilee summarized.

"Ah made it jus' too easy for him" Rogue said, casting her eyes down. "Told him everything he wanted tah know."

"Guessing your mother wasn't best pleased?" Kitty whispered.

"She kicked me outta tha family, an' sent her best guard dawg after meh" Rogue smiled wryly, "By thah time he was done wit' me Ah had a dozen broken bones, a busted knee cap, a collapsed lung and a severe concussion. Ah was sure Ah was about tah die, that's when Logan found meh."

"What did she do to Remy?" Kitty wanted to know.

"Oh he left, soon as he got what he wanted" Rogue laughed bitterly, "Almost glad Ah cain't have sex, knowin' Ah'll never wake up alone in someone else's bed again."

"No wonder you hate him" Jubilee said harshly, her face twisted as though she had bitten into a lemon.

"Ah don't hate him, he was jus' followin' orders" Rogue shrugged, "That's what we were trained tah do."

"But Rogue-"

"It don't matter, that's what happened" Rogue sighed, "Jus' wish he would stop pretendin' now, ain't lahke he needs nothin' else from meh."

"But the way he looks at you now, it's not like he wants something" Kitty countered.

"Except maybe to get you naked again" Jubilee teased.

Rogue glared at her.

"Are you sure he didn't care about you really?" Kitty pressed, "Maybe he just didn't have a choice."

"Ah'm sure he didn't" Rogue agreed, standing up and moving over to her bathroom. "Don't mean he cares for me."

"Then he's a really good actor" Kitty pressed.

"Well we know that, Kitty" Jubilee rolled her eyes, "He got Rogue to go to bed with him just for some information."

"I'm sure plenty of women would go to bed with him for less" Kitty was relentless, "I don't see him chasing after them like he chases after you."

"What are yah sayin'?"

"That maybe you should ease up and let him explain himself" Kitty said softly, "You've absorbed Logan so much, it's making you stubborn and cranky."

"Ain't that the truth" Jubilee laughed.

"Ah'll think about it" Rogue relented, because it was easier than the argument. "Can Ah get a hot shower now?"

"Yes" Kitty said easily, standing up and flipping her ponytail down her back. "I better get one too if we're heading out for drinks."

"Drinks?" Jubilee screeched, "Why is this the first I'm hearing of it?"

"Bobby mentioned it down in the Danger Room."

"Right, well that settles it" Jubilee said, finally standing herself. "I'm choosing an outfit for you."

"Jubes" Rogue groaned.

"You just go and get yourself a nice hot shower and leave the rest to me" Jubilee said easily, "Every girl needs to look hot in front of her ex."

Rogue decided the hot water was much more tempting than an argument, so she relented and headed for the shower inwardly praying that Jubilee wasn't considering putting her in anything that bared too much skin.

Thankfully the younger girl seemed to have taken some of Rogue's outburst on board, and her outfit was as revealing as one could be for a girl that couldn't show any skin.

"Told you I'd make you hot" Jubilee laughed, slapping her behind as she past through the door of the local bar.

"She always looks hot, Jubilee" Kitty rolled her eyes.

"At least Ah won't kill anyone" Rogue agreed.

"Unless Remy gets within strangling distance" Jubilee teased.

Rogue shook her head as the three of them headed towards the bar. She hated to admit it, but Jubilee had taste. She had forced Rogue into the tiniest, nude coloured tube top that Rogue had spluttered at and fought against until she had slipped a sheer, nude kimono over the top with a rising phoenix detailed into the back. The sheer material was floaty and paired with her black leather trousers made her look almost _normal_.

"What will we have, girls?" Jubilee asked, glancing down at the menu.

"A Shirley Temple for the minor" Kitty said, plucking the menu out of Jubilee's hands and eyeing the bartender.

"You're no fun" Jubilee huffed.

"An' two martinis" Rogue added with a wink.

"Allow me" a voice said from behind them, and Remy LeBeau slid in between her and Jubilee. "Always t'hought yo' was a Bourbon girl, chere."

"Rogue was only sixteen when you met" Kitty frowned.

"Ah was poorly influenced" Rogue drawled, taking a sip of her martini and allowing the alcohol to warm a path to her stomach.

"How 'bout it, chere" Remy said softly, passing his card to the bartender and glancing at her with his warm, red eyes. "Feel like dancin'?"

"Ah-" she hesitated, glancing up at her friends. Kitty was nodding with enthusiasm but Jubilee had opened her mouth as though she was about to protest.

"Come on, Jubes" Kitty spoke before she could, grabbing hold of her elbow. "I feel like dancing too."

Before Jubilee could utter a word of objection she had been dragged off into the sea of pulsing bodies.

Rogue turned back to Remy, who was still watching her closely. She always loved his eyes in the dark, the red would almost glow and it called out to her.

"Sho' Cajun" she heard herself agreeing, "Ah'll dance with yah."

Remy took hold of her gloved hand and led her over to the dance floor. The minute they reached the edge of the crowd he pulled her into his body.

"After dat beatin' down earlier, sho' I weren't gonna be allowed within eye contact distance wit' yo'" he said, sliding his hands around her back and pulling her closer into his chest.

He was so warm, she had forgotten that about him. Part of Remy's mutation seemed to be that he was constantly giving off heat, and as Rogue's hands always seemed to be cold she just couldn't resist reaching out to hold him. If it wasn't an involuntary part of his mutation she would accuse him for doing it just to bribe her into touching him.

She placed both hands on his shoulders and frowned at him.

"Still as dramatic as ever" she said, rolling her eyes. "Kitteh thinks Ah should go easier on yah."

"Be sho' t' buy dat gal a drink" he grinned down at her, his liquid red eyes warm with humor. "Yo' gonna listen?"

"Jus' gotta keep tellin' mahself that it weren't yoar fault" she shrugged, "An' that maybe mah constant absorption of Logan is makin' meh stubborn."

"T'ink yo' were always dat, chere" Remy teased.

"But Ah meant what Ah said" she said sternly, "Ah can't go through all that again."

"Chere-"

"We shoulda always jus' stayed friends" she said, moving even closer to link her arms around his neck. "Ah shoulda known betta than tah get involved with yah."

"Come on now, Rogue" he tightened his grip on her back, pressing her against him. "Yo' know I did more f'r yo' dan any udder girl I ever knew."

She stopped moving and stepped away from him, "Why was that?"

"Yo' know why" he answered, trying to pull her against him again.

"Sho' are a good mercenary, ain't cha Remy?" she said, pulling back until he was forced to take hold of her wrist.

"Terrible liar though."

"This ain't a joke, Swamp Rat" she sighed, failing in her attempt to get her wrist back.

"Yo' see me laughin'?" he murmured, reeling her wrist back towards him and hooking his arm around her waist again. "'Least I get t' see yo' an' make yo' smile."

"Yah ain't never made me smile, Remy LeBeau" she said, relinquishing her wrist and falling back into step with him. "Could never deliver the punch line."

"P'shaw who yo' talkin' wit' girl?" He smiled, his red eyes warming again. "I be de King of comedy."

"King of runnin' that mouth, mebe" she teased.

"I'm serious, chere" he said, pushing back so he could look her in the eye. "Before all de games an' de job, we were friends, non?"

"That was before" she pointed out, "Yah can't turn back time."

"Not askin' t' go back, jus' t' start over."

She hesitated, pulling back again and glancing down at her shoes.

"Remy Ah ain't sure-"

"Yo' said no flirtin' chere" he said, leaning down to try and look her in the eye. "Didn't say nothin' 'bout bein' friends."

"All the stuff that happened" she stuttered, "Me tellin' yo' that Ah loved-"

"Ain't askin' t' go back, chere" he repeated softly, "Jus' askin' t' start over."

Rogue paused again, taking a deep breath. A week ago she wouldn't have even considered holding a conversation with Remy LeBeau, now she was acting mulling over the idea of being his friend?

It seemed nothing but dangerous to her.

"Come on, chere" Remy pulled against her hips, those red eyes just winking with mischief. "Come out an' play."

She opened her mouth to tell him that she didn't want to play with him, that the last thing she wanted to do with get tangled up in the dangerous and mysterious world of Remy LeBeau. But she couldn't quite get it out, because at the same time all she could think was how much she had missed him, the only man in the world that could make her feel the way he did.

"You two sure look cosy."

She jumped and turned to see Bobby stood beside them, holding two beers and his eyebrows pulled down.

"Hey there Bobby" she said breathily, stepping back to put some space between her and Remy.

"I brought your drink, man" he said, passing one of the beers to Remy before turning to Rogue. "Kitty got you another cocktail, we've got a table back there" he indicated with his thumb.

"Sure" Rogue said, nodding. "Ah should get back to those gals."

She turned her back on Remy and headed straight over to the table before he could even try and call her back, shaking her head to clear it. Unfortunately he stayed close behind her, seemingly determined to cloud her thought and her better judgement.

Rogue slipped onto the seat beside Kitty and smiled as she pushed a fresh glass towards her, "Are you okay?" she mouthed.

Rogue nodded in response and Remy took the seat beside her.

"So, Remy" Jubilee pounced as soon as he took his seat, leaning across the table on her elbows. "Tell us a little about yourself."

"What yo' want t' know, petite?" Remy asked, placing a hand on the back of Rogue's chair.

"Well, Rogue is just so elusive about her time with the Brotherhood" Jubilee continued, "Maybe you could tell us some things?"

"Was only wit' dem f'r a year, way back when I was jus' a pup" he said, waving his hand dismissively, "Was a long time ago."

"So what you did there doesn't matter?" Jubilee continued.

"Jubes" Rogue hissed.

"Yeah Jubilee, this isn't an interrogation" Bobby said, "You're starting to sound like Logan."

"I'm just taking an interest" Jubilee said haughtily.

"Weren't that interestin'" Rogue muttered, taking a chug of her drink in an attempt to steady her nerves.

"Ain't dat de truth" Remy agreed, "Never played so much poker."

"Poker?" Kitty laughed.

"Needed a way t' pass de time" Remy nodded.

"Rogue knows how to play poker?" Bobby snorted.

All attention turned to Remy who was now grinning at the subject change, "O' course" he said, tipping his head in her direction, "Who do yo' thi'k taught her?"

"You taught Rogue how to play poker?" Bobby demanded.

"Well at least we now have a firm grasp of the obvious" Jubilee muttered, rolling her eyes.

"What did you bet?" Kitty wanted to know.

"Clothes" Remy grinned.

"Got tah play high stakes with the Cajun" Rogue said, rolling her eyes.

"Seriously?" Jubilee squealed, looking scandalised. "What happened?"

"Was our first mission together, ain't dat right chere?" Remy grinned.

"First an' last" Rogue said, shaking her head.

"We were stayin' is dis God awful motel, it was an overnight job but I won't bore yo' wit de details" Remy started.

"Please, bore us" Jubilee insisted, all hostility seemingly forgotten in the haste to hear some gossip.

"B&E, theft an' some minor undercover work" Rogue filled in, "At least, that's what momma told us."

"Dat woman is de Queen of de understatement, non?" Remy smiled, "Anyway, so we were bored an' I snuck into Rogue's room."

"No, yah snuck into mah hotel room 'cos yah were bored."

"Got t' pass de time somehow" Remy winked, "So I catch her up wit' de basics an' we start playin', an' obviously I'm winnin'."

"Never trust a thief" Rogue muttered.

"Don't b' sore, chere" Remy teased, "So Rogue is wearin' a bra an' her jeans and she looks at me an' says in that sweet as southern voice o' hers, _Yo' cheatin yo' no good dirty Swamp Rat!_ "

The entire group burst out laughing, even Rogue failed to hide her smile.

"O' course I was goin' t' compliment her on her flattery, but de chere is hard t' distract when dose massive lungs o' hers start workin'" Remy grinned at Rogue as she reached out to thump him on the arm, he deftly dodged her hit and continued, "So I went t' kiss her, distraction is as good as de rest."

"What happened?" Kitty asked, her eyes wide as she sat on the edge of her seat.

"John walked in" Remy laughed, "Yo' remember his face chere? What a picture."

"Oh Gawd" Rogue groaned, putting her face into her hands. "Never been so embarrassed in mah entre life."

"Yo'd t'ink he'd walked on meh wit' his sister" Remy shook his head.

"John, as in _Pyro_?" Bobby qualified.

"Ah told ya'll he was in tha Brotherhood" Rogue said, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

"You didn't say you were close" Bobby accused.

"Ah don't see why that matters."

"I don't care about that!" Jubilee interrupted, "What did he do?"

"Set de curtains a light fr'm what I remember" Remy shrugged, "Den went an' tol' Mysty what had happened."

"An' she stopped meh from runnin' missions with Remy" Rogue rolled her eyes.

"I ain't trusted 'round de fine gems and delicate items" Remy said, grinning away like the cat that got the canary. "Got a bad thieving habit."

"Sticky fingers" Rogue muttered, throwing him a glare.

"Sticky skin" Remy countered, looking her up and down with warm red eyes.

She watched him steadily as the others broke into an argument over who would win at a game of strip poker, remembering all the reasons why being friends with Remy LeBeau would be so dangerous.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

 _Disclaimer: You know the drill, I don't own any of this._

Remy groaned against the pounding in his right eye as he sat up, pushing his hair off his face.

He had to wonder if there was any liquor left in that bar, because it felt as though he'd drank more that his fair share.

Not that the others hadn't helped.

As soon as the chaperones had left, the kids truly had come out in style.

That Kitty sure could put it away, considering how small she was. Remy couldn't help but smile at the memory of her jumping up and down in what she much have imagined to be a alluring dance, in an attempt to get Pete's interest. In Remy's opinion she didn't need to do anything to get the attention of the big Russian, he practically blushed whenever she was within smiling distance.

It was adorable.

He shoved the comforter off himself and padded to the door in search of coffee, wondering why he had let Bobby convince him that just one more Bourbon wouldn't hurt.

Even Rogue had gotten involved, shaking her hips in the middle of the dance floor until practically every male in there was mesmerised.

He would have to keep a closer eye on her in future.

Remy headed straight for the coffee pot as soon as he entered the kitchen, thankfully someone had already filled it and he had fresh, hot coffee within seconds.

"Hey Remy" a voice squeaked from behind him.

He turned to see a very red faced Kitty looking down at his bare feet, her fingers knotted together.

Maybe he should have thought of to put on a shirt before he left his room.

"Bonjour Chaton" he purred, delighting more than he should in her discomfort. It had been a while since he'd been around a girl that blushed, "How yo' feelin'?"

"Oh, I'm fine" she said, still not looking up from his toes.

"I don't bite yo' know, petite" he said, taking a step closer to her.

Kitty laughed awkwardly, "I'm just not used to being around half naked men."

"Sho' dat ain't true" he teased, "Petey sho' looks better dan Remy does naked."

Kitty's gaze finally snapped up to meet his, though her face was even redder than it had been before. Which Remy wouldn't have believed possible until now. "I don't know what you mean!" she stuttered.

"I t'ink de cherie doth protest too much" he mocked, throwing her a wink.

"Rogue was right about you" she said, attempting a weak glare. "You're a bad influence."

"Dere any udder kind?"

Kitty just laughed and shook her head, "The Professor wants to see you in his office."

"Right now?" Remy asked, scratching his bare stomach. "Ain't really dressed f'r it."

"So go get a shirt" Kitty shrugged, "But just a heads up, I saw Rogue heading in that direction earlier" she threw him a wink before she turned and disappeared down the corridor.

Remy let out a laugh as he followed her out, thanking the powers that be that he seemed to at least have one ally in his quest for Rogue. Perhaps the innocent little miss Pryde was more corruptible than she made herself out to be.

He made a mental note to owe her a favour as he reached out to knock on the Professor's door.

"Come in" a voice called from inside.

Remy knew it was a mistake to come to the office shirtless as soon as he opened the door and four pairs of eyes focused on him.

The Professor looked exasperated, but not exactly surprised. Logan looked like he was ready to skin him alive. Rogue's eyes were so big it was as though she hadn't even seen a naked man before.

The fourth member of their little group Remy didn't recognise. She was a terrifyingly, gorgeous blonde wearing an extremely tight white corset that was pushing her boobs up to her ears and was watching him steadily with her icy blue eyes.

"Oh honey" she shook her head, a smile lilting her lips. "You look like all kinds of trouble."

"Den we be kindred spirits, non?" he winked.

"Do they not have shirts where you come from, Gumbo?" Logan asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Not when dey drink half a bottle o' Bourbon de night before" Remy grinned, falling into a chair and propping himself up on one arm.

"In future, Mr LeBeau" the Professor popped up, "If I call you to a meeting in my office, I do expect you to be fully dressed."

"I knew there was a reason I didn't come to these meetings" the heartbreaking blonde sighed, checking out her fingernails.

"I got it, Prof" he said, holding up his coffee.

"So what is this meetin' about?" Rogue asked, her overly curled hair had flopped into her face and her cheeks were a little less pink than usual. "Other than makin' people get outta bed before noon."

"Those martinis givin' yo' hell, chere?" Remy grinned at her.

"Nah, but the memory of yoar dancin' sho' is" she shot back.

"As fun as this little interaction is" Logan said, stepping in between the two of them and effectively blocking Remy's view of Rogue. "Is someone going to tell us why we're here?"

"Yes, of course" the Professor said. "Rogue, I have called you here today to discuss your mutation."

"An' we need an audience?" Rogue asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Gotta agree, Charles" Logan chewed over his words, "Why does he need to be here" he indicated towards Remy with his thumb.

"An' miss yo' charmin' company?" Remy asked, taking a drink from his coffee.

"I will explain in due course" the Professor said, disregarding Remy's comment. "Rogue, Emma tells me you are making little progress with your mental barriers."

"Ah'm tryin'!" she defended.

"Darling I know, I've watched you exhausting yourself" Emma said, sympathetically patting her hand. "It just doesn't seem to be working."

"With the mental strain that this seems to be taking on you, I have been considering other options" the Professor continued, "The only logical thinking is to go back to training your ability to touch."

"Professor Ah don't think-"

The Professor held up his hand to stop her, "If you'll just allow me, Rogue" he said. "Logan here is more than happy to help you practice whenever you like."

"O' course" Rogue rolled her eyes, "Cuz who don't love passin' out over an' over again?"

"I'll live" Logan muttered.

"Ah won't" Rogue said, "Still ain't got tha smell of cigars outta mah favorite sweater from the last time."

"Regardless of this" the Professor continued as though there had been no interruption. "Having Remy here offers in itself a rare opportunity."

"It does?" Remy asked.

"Ya'll heard, huh?" Rogue sighed, shoving herself up in her chair. "Ah ain't usin' him as a lab rat."

"Rogue, even if you do not wish to ask Remy to aid with your practice" the Professor put in, "I would like to monitor what happens when the two of you touch."

"Yah gotta be kiddin'" Rogue huffed.

"This could be the key to unlocking your mutation, Rogue" the Professor chastised.

"Of course it ain't" Rogue burst out, standing up and waving her arms in the air. "It's jus' his mutation, unless he can pass it on t' others, it ain't gonna help me none."

"Come on, chere" Remy said softly, "Ain't it worth a try?"

Rogue paused as she made eye contact with him, he could sense her apprehension and fear. He tried to latch onto the excitement he could feel, but she looked away from him before he could manipulate.

If he was immune to Rogue's mutation, then she just had to be immune to his too.

"Chuck, I just don't think this is a good idea" Logan put in, "They shouldn't be around each other more than they have to."

"Don't be a child, Logan" the beautiful blonde rolled her eyes, "I've already set things up in the lab, if it doesn't have any results then what's the harm?"

"Yah think this would help?" Rogue asked.

"I don't think it would hurt, darling" the blonde replied.

"Okay" Rogue nodded as though she was trying to convince herself. "If it's okay with Remy, Ah'll give it a try."

"I'm in chere" he said, standing up with his coffee. "Anythin' t' help."

"Perfect" the stunning blonde stood and clapped her hands together, "Come by after lunch, the two of you look like you could use something to eat first."

"Ain't dat true" Remy agreed, "Can I walk yo' t' de kitchen, chere?"

"Rogue-" Logan started.

"Ah'll be okay, Logan" Rogue smiled, "Ah'll catch up with yah later."

She followed Remy out of the room and then sighed.

"Are yah gonna put on a shirt before lunch, Cajun?" she asked.

He grinned and held out his arms, "T'ink I look pretty good, non?"

"Ah think half the teenage gals will pass out" Rogue chastised.

"S'long as yo' t'ink so" Remy winked at her, "Let's stop by m' room first."

Rogue looked a little apprehensive but followed him down the corridor, rubbing her hand into the back of her neck.

"Yah don't have tah do this yah know, Remy" she said as they walked in step with each other, "Yah never signed up tah be a science experiment."

"Non" Remy agreed, "But if it helps wit' yo' control, den it's a win" he smiled at her as he opened his bedroom door and headed inside. "An' de blonde might hunt me down if I say no, sho' don't want t' be on her bad side."

She waited in the entryway, shoving her shoulder into the door frame. "Emma ain't so bad."

"Emma, huh?" Remy said as he pulled a shirt out of his dresser, "Pretty name."

"Ah" Rogue laughed, shaking her head. "Forgot about yoar feelin's foar blondes."

Remy grinned as he pulled the shirt over his head, "Yo' jealous, chere?" he teased.

"'Course not" Rogue snorted, "Emma _Frost_ would eat yo' f'r breakfast."

"Ain't dat de truth" Remy agreed, following her back out of the door and down the corridor. "I'm more partial t' brunette an' white dese days anyhow."

"Remy" Rogue sighed, hanging onto the banister at the top of the staircase and glaring at him. "What did Ah say about this?"

"About what?" he asked innocently.

"'Bout actin' like tha last ten years never happened" she said, pushing past him to head down the stairs.

"Well yo' sho' didn't say that last night, chere" Remy teased, following her. "After dose four martinis, yo' was ready t' reenact certain parts o' our past."

"Shove it, Cajun."

"Tryin' t' take advantage o' a drunk man dat way" Remy shook his head, "I sho' was shocked."

"Yah are incorrigible" she shook her head.

"T'ink how much fun it would be t' corrige me" he said, wriggling his eyebrows.

Rogue threw him a glare, but didn't quite manage to hide her smile as she entered the kitchen.

Remy meanwhile was instantly glad he had decided to put on a shirt the moment he stepped into the kitchen.

It was like the entire mansion had suddenly decided to get out of bed and go in search of food, every single table was filled with extremely hungry adolescents. Remy followed Rogue to the table she was making a beeline towards, while avoiding the gaze of two extremely curious teenage girls, eyeing him with far too much interest.

Why did every girl in this place except Rogue seem to have a morbid fascination with him?

"Hey guys" Rogue said, taking an empty seat beside Bobby. "We all feelin' good this afternoon?"

"I'm so tired" came Jubilee's muffled voice from where she had her head in her arms.

Remy grinned as he took a seat beside Kitty, "Yo' look fresh dere, petite."

Her cheeks pinked and she cleared her throat, "I had some coffee."

"Where have you two been?" Bobby asked, eyeing both of them suspiciously.

"The Prof hauled us into his office" Rogue sighed, spooning herself some pie from the center of the table.

"What for?" Kitty asked brightly.

"Mah mutation, what else?" Rogue rolled her eyes.

"Is he finally going to let you practice again?" Bobby asked, "Because you know you'll always have a willing partner here."

"Thanks Bobby" Rogue smiled, "But we ain't quite there yet."

"Rogue got her partner right here, mon ami" Remy said, helping himself to some food.

Jubilee finally lifted her head from her arms, "You two are training together?"

Rogue glared at him, "Not exactly" she said evasively, "The Prof jus' wants to figure out why mah mutation don't work on Remy."

"Gotta be a lab rat" Remy nodded.

"Every little helps, right?" Kitty smiled.

Rogue narrowed her eyes at her friend but didn't bother to comment.

"I hope it works for you, Rogue" said Pete, who was always so quiet that Remy often forgot he was even sat at the table with them. "You deserve it."

"Thanks Pete" Rogue smiled.

"I gotta go shower, chere" Remy said, dropping his fork on the plate and throwing her a smile. "Meet yo' downstairs?"

"Sure" Rogue agreed, not looking up from her plate.

Remy bid the others goodbye and stood, leaving his food and exiting the kitchen without making eye contact with anyone. He really needed a smoke and a shower, this morning had been far too high maintenance for someone that had four hours sleep and six glasses of bourbon the night before.

He had no problem helping Rogue with her powers, in fact he was happy to. Anything that gave him an excuse to touch her without asking was good with him.

The problem was that she would put so much on this, and he didn't want it to fail.

Of course she could touch him, they both already knew that. While Remy had absolutely no problem being the only person that Rogue could touch, in fact if he had it his way she would never touch anyone else, he knew that wasn't what Rogue wanted. He knew that she would want to be able to hug Logan without having to worry about accidentally touching him, would want to reach out and flick Kitty's hair out of her face without gloves or have a workout with Pete in the gym wearing just a vest or sports bra.

He knew how much she wanted all those little things that everyone else took for granted.

If she put all her hopes on this and it didn't work out she would be heartbroken, and he couldn't stand to see her heartbroken.

Remy flicked his hair out of his face as he stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around his hips and entering his room. He shoved open a window and lit a cigarette with the tip of his finger, blowing the smoke rings out of his window.

Of course he knew it wasn't all on him to fix Rogue's problem, but that didn't make him any less nervous about it.

He flicked the cigarette butt out of the window and dropped his towel, shoving his legs into some sweats and pulling his head through a t-shirt.

He made his way down to the lab as he promised, and he entered the room he found Rogue sat in the middle of a lab table chatting to Logan as Emma stuck electrodes to her arms.

Remy crossed his arms over his chest, "As much as I love our little chats Wolverine, dere any reason why yo' need t' be here?"

Both Rogue and Logan glanced up at him in the entryway.

"You really think I'm going to leave you alone in a room with her?" Logan practically growled.

"We been alone plenty" Remy replied, stepping into the room.

"With what happened last time, you think I want to make that a trend?"

"It's okay, Logan" Rogue said, reaching out to pat his arm. "Remy, be nice."

"Aw Rogue" Emma said, finally looking up. "I thought you preferred the bad ones."

"Don't you start" Logan bit out, moving to the other side of the room.

Remy took a seat beside Rogue on the table, "Not exactly a relaxin' settin'" he pointed out as Emma rolled up his sleeves and started to stick electrodes to the crease in his elbow.

"This is for monitoring" Emma pointed out, "Not for relaxing."

"But if you don't like it Gumbo, I'll happily switch places with you" Logan growled, chewing on a cigar.

"Go ahead an' touch de chere, Wolverine" Remy said, frowning at him. "Might finally get a bit o' hush."

Emma laughed as she backed away, "Okay you two, just act as though we're not here, we need this to be as normal as possible."

"So Ah do what, start touchin' him?" Rogue asked, raising an eyebrow as Emma began to back away from them. "Cuz that sho' ain't normal tah meh."

"Just do whatever comes naturally" Emma said easily, pulling Logan to the other end of the room.

"Then Ah guess Ah jus' sit here an' not touch anyone" Rogue muttered.

"How 'bout we lose de gloves hm, chere?" Remy suggested, tugging on her fingers. "'M real touchable, yo' know."

Rogue took a deep breath as she pulled the satin off her fingers.

"Yo' seem nervous chere" he said, reaching out to move her hair out of her eyes.

She didn't just seem nervous, her nerves were practically screaming out and suffocating him. As soon as his bare fingers were close enough to graze her cheek she flinched and panic clouded everything.

"Ah'm sorry" she said, taking another deep breath and moving closer to him again. "It's just, Ah ain't touched no one in a long time."

"Ain't no reason t' be sorry, chere" he said, placing a calming hand on her leg. "How long it been?"

"Ten years" she said, finally glancing up to meet his gaze.

"Yo' touched someone since me" he chastised.

"No one that stayed conscious" she pointed out.

"Well du calme, chere" he said, stroking her hair. "Yo' ain't gonna hurt me."

"How do you know that?" she said, her voice slowly rising to hysteria levels. "How do you know it ain't changed?"

"We done kissed jus' yesterday" he pointed out, his mouth lifting into a half smile.

"For all of about three seconds!"

"Tis sweet dat yo' care about me, chere."

"Jus' don't want yah in mah head."

"Come here" he said softly, reaching out until the tips of his fingers brushed her cheek.

Immediately her pleasure and terror simultaneously hit him like a train and just for a second he was transported to a leaky, damp warehouse kitchen ten years ago. The first time he ever touched her she was so scared, she was practically vibrating with it. He hadn't known someone could have such conflicting feelings until he touched Rogue. Being hit by her emotions was almost as addictive as touching her itself, she never reacted as he expected and he loved it.

"Yo' sho' givin' me nostalgia, chere" he said, stroking her cheek.

"Ya'll are making meh nervous" she hissed.

Remy laughed, "Yo' sho' need t' lighten up."

"Yah overly attached tah that face o' yoars?"

"Gets me all de pretty ladies" Remy grinned, "But I got an idea."

"Ah don't trust that look in yoar eye" Rogue said, leaning back from him.

"Come on now, chere" Remy teased, "Don't yo' remember dat lil t'ing I discovered f'rm all our touchin'?"

"What- no!" Rogue practically squealed, but Remy already had hold of her before she could escape. He wriggled his fingers in her ribs which only made her squeal at a higher pitch, "Remy, stop!" she screeched in between giggles.

"Aw chere, jus' wanted a cuddle" he laughed, pulling her closer and tickling her without mercy.

"Ya'll get a fat lip" Rogue choked, trying to wriggle away from him.

"Dat a threat or a promise" he teased, wrapping his arms fully around her and pulling her back into his chest. "Ain't so awkward now is it, chere?" he whispered into her hair.

Rogue laughed but leaned her head back onto his shoulder, "No, it's not so awkward."


	7. Chapter 7

_Disclaimer: Nothing here is owned by me_

 **Chapter Seven**

Logan was chewing over the same thing he had been since the crack of dawn.

Except he couldn't even pretend to have been sleeping before that, so he'd pretty much been chewing over it all night.

He'd been watching Remy _i'm too sexy for my shirt_ LeBeau since the self entitled little prick had sauntered into the mansion as if he owned it. Watching his every step, and especially watching him around Rogue. At first he'd thought she'd never let the slimy southerner within five hundred feet of her. Logan knew that she still had nightmares about what Sabertooth had done to her, that sometimes when she was pushing herself to breaking point in the gym it was because she wanted to be sure that something like that never happened to her again. But just recently he'd seen a change in her and he didn't like it.

Logan had been close with Rogue ever since the two had arrived at the mansion together.

He wasn't sure what it was about her, but then he'd never really thought about it much. Maybe it was because of how vulnerable she had been when he'd found her laying there in the snow that he felt the need to protect her. Or maybe it was because she was the first person he'd really let himself care about in such a long time that he couldn't bare to see her hurt.

Whatever it was about Rogue, Logan wasn't about to let the Cajun squash the life out of her again. It had taken her years to feel safe after what had happened to her, so Logan damned if he was about to let that Cajun worm his way back into her life again.

Which was exactly the reason why he was stood outside the Professor's door at eight in the morning.

"Come in, Logan" a voice in his head answered before he even had the chance to knock on the door, not that he was surprised.

He was surprised however to find the gorgeous Emma Frost sat, legs crossed and wearing a pristine white suit, on one of the squashy chairs.

"What are you doing here?" he bit out, closing the door behind him with a snap.

"You seem surprised" Emma said, raising a perfectly shaped eyebrow. "Didn't you sniff me out?"

"Thought someone had dropped a bottle of Channel No. 5 out there" he said, dropping himself into the chair in front of Charles' desk.

Emma threw him a sharp smile, "I knew you'd be here as soon as you could, bad mouthing Remy LeBeau."

"You might think he's pretty, Frost" he bit, "That just makes him more of a jackass."

"Really, then what's your excuse?"

"If the two of you would please retreat to your corners" the Professor said, eyeing them over his steepled hands. "Emma was just reviewing Rogue's progress with Remy, perhaps it would be good for you to hear this Logan."

"Well" Emma sat up, uncrossing and recrossing her legs. "I think he's good for her."

"What?" Logan burst out, a red haze descending over his eyes as he shoved himself out of his seat. "Should I have taken photos of Rogue that day, to show people what kind of man he is!?"

"I was here when Rogue was brought in Logan" Emma said disparagingly.

"As was I" The Professor added, "No one is playing down her injuries."

"Just becoming best buds with the guy that gave them to her!"

"Logan, it's not Remy's fault" Emma stood, brushing down her suit and crossing her arms as she turned to face him. "You can't pretend there isn't something between them."

"He had his hands all over her!" Logan shouted, "He didn't give her any choice!"

"Of course he did" Emma rolled her eyes, "Her heartbeat was off the chart when he first touched her, and then he _calmed her down_."

"No" Logan shook his head stubbornly, "She calmed herself down because she knew she wouldn't hurt him."

"Why can't you see how comfortable she is around him?" Emma stormed, flicking a lock of her perfect blonde hair out of her eye. "Or would you just rather ignore it?"

"Of course she's comfortable around him" Logan said patronisingly, "She knows he can't die when they touch."

"She knows that about you" Emma pointed out, raising an eyebrow. "Or are you just jealous now you're not the only one brave enough to touch her?"

"Don't be stupid" he spat, "I want her to have control as much as you do."

"Good" Emma smiled waspishly, "Because I want her to have regular sessions with Remy."

"You have got to be kidding me!?" Logan howled, "Chuck?"

Charles sighed, "I'm afraid I agree with Emma, Logan."

"He's gonna hurt her again!" Logan thundered, "And you're just going to sit back and let it happen."

"There is no hidden agenda here, Logan" Emma sighed, taking her seat again. "The more comfortable Rogue is with touching, the more likely she will gain control."

"Have you talked to Rogue about this?" he wanted to know.

"Not yet" the Professor said, "Of course if she doesn't agree, then we won't go forward with this."

"Well she won't" Logan said adamantly. "She thinks LeBeau is pond scum."

"Not based on what I saw yesterday" Emma smiled sweetly.

Logan didn't even have a retort, he was out of the door before the other two even had the chance to think about stopping him.

If anyone was going to tell Rogue about this, it was going to be him.

He wasn't about to let Emma get there before him and talk Rogue into something she didn't want to do. He didn't trust the blonde telepath not to twist things in Remy's favour.

If she wanted into his pants that was fine with Logan, but she could damn well leave Rogue out of it.

He followed her scent, she had a unique smell of honey and apples and he was so accustomed to it that she was only too easy to find. Unfortunately that scent was once again mixed with one of cinnamon, bourbon and stale cigarettes.

A stink he wanted no where near her.

He found the pair of them in the wreck room together. They weren't alone, but they were the only two stood at the edge of the pool table. Rogue was wracking up the balls, slightly bent at the waist as she lent over the table. Remy had reached out to rub her shoulders.

She didn't flinch or tense, but she did open her mouth.

"Getcha hands off me, Cajun" she said, not bothering to look up or swat him away. "Tsk, so grabby."

The Cajun ignored her and began to dig a thumb into her back, "Yo' sho' are tense, chere" he said quietly.

Rogue practically hummed, "Been trainin' a lot."

She didn't move or attempt to dislodge his hands.

Remy took a step closer so that he was speaking quietly next to her ear. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on how he looked at it, his enhanced senses ensured he picked everything up.

"Lose de shirt an' grab us some oils, we got a real massage dere" he murmured.

Logan's stomach rolled.

Rogue just laughed and turned to knock his hands away, finally.

"Dream on, Casanova" she rolled her eyes and moved around to other side of the table, "Go use those magic hands on Alison, Ah seen her makin' eyes at yah."

"She ain't as fun as yo', Catin" he leaned over to the table to smile at her.

"Yah gonna run that mouth all day?" she wanted to know, "Or yah gonna let meh beat yah ass at pool?"

"Rogue" Logan stepped out of the shadows, his eyes trained to her so he didn't accidentally behead her Cajun companion.

"Hey Logan" she greeted, smiling away at him like he was the best thing since sliced bread. "Fancy a game?"

"That's alright, kid" he said, waving a hand casually. "I was hoping we could get out of here, me and you?"

"Get outta here?" she asked, stepping around the table towards him, her companion seemingly forgotten.

"Thought I'd treat you to some lunch" he said gruffly, "Been a long time since we spent time together."

"Too long" she agreed quietly, and the emotion lurking behind those green eyes made him want to kick himself for not doing this sooner.

"Better grab your leathers then" he said, smiling at her. "We'll take my bike."

Rogue squealed excitedly, "Ah'll be right back!"

"Chere, De game?" Remy called after her.

"Sorry Cajun, Ah'll play later!" she called over her shoulder as she took off down the corridor.

Logan finally turned to look at the tall, young man and smiled. They eyed each other, much as two lions might when both had their mind on leading the pride.

"That's my girl" Logan spoke first in a low growl. "You'd better remember that."

"Dat right?" Remy asked, inspecting his fingernails as though he was bored. "Old enough t' be her grand-daddy, way I heard it."

"Ain't gonna stop me from takin' your head off for hurtin' her" he said, turning to leave.

"I care 'bout her too" Remy called after him.

Logan glanced over his shoulder, "You ain't earned the right to care" he said, before heading off to the parking garage without looking back.

He was practically vibrating with anger and he needed to calm himself down before Rogue arrived.

Logan sometimes wondered how much of an animal his mutation had turned him into when he fought to control the blood lust that bubbled around his throat. He'd always acted on instinct in the past.

As his instinct at the moment was to tear that little punk limb from limb, it didn't make living with him any easier.

Then, just like that, Rogue arrived in the garage and clouded him with her scent. His calmed immediately.

"Yah okay, old man?" she asked, sliding onto the back of the motorcycle and accepting the helmet he passed to her.

"Less of the old" he growled, revving the engine. "Hold on tight kid, don't want to scrape you off the pavement."

He took off the moment she did as he asked, wrapping her arms tightly around his midsection.

Logan took them to a diner that the two of them had frequented back when they were new initiates. She had always been so nervous about being in the Mansion when she'd first arrived, worried about her past.

So Logan had brought her here almost three times a week.

"Ah'm gonna order those pancakes with tonnes of chocolate moose" Rogue said, bouncing excitedly over the top of her menu. "Can't believe we ain't been here in so long!"

"Two coffees please" he grunted to the waitress, "That's my fault, kid" he said, now addressing Rogue. "Shoulda made time."

"Don't be silly" she said, waving away his apology with her menu. "We both been busy."

"Well that changes now" Logan promised as the waitress arrived with their coffees.

Rogue threw him a smile as she placed a double order of pancakes with extra chocolate moose and whipped cream.

"So, whatcha bring me here foar then, Mista Logan" she asked, tearing into a sugar packet and pouring it into her coffee.

"Do I need a reason?" he asked, watching her dump a second pack of sugar into her coffee.

"Usually, no" Rogue said, eyes down as she reached for another packet. "But Ah'm guessin' this time there is."

"Did you want some coffee with that sugar?" he asked.

Rogue grinned as she finally looked up at him, "Jus' lahke old times ain't it?"

"Almost" he smiled, playing with the handle on his coffee cup. "Listen kid, there is a reason I dragged you out here today."

"Drum roll please" Rogue mocked, tapping her fingernails against the table.

"It's about the Cajun."

"Ah figured" she huffed, blowing a ringlet out of her eyes. "Well, go ahead wit' it."

"Well, it's just that five minutes ago you couldn't stand to be in the same room as the guy" Logan said awkwardly, scratching the stubble on his chin. "Now you're all pally."

"We ain't pally" Rogue sighed.

"I just pulled you away from the pool table" Logan pointed out.

"Remy and Ah, we go back a long way" Rogue cleared her throat, "He's jus' real familiar, an' it can be hard not t' get comfortable."

"Which is exactly the reason I'm worried" Logan snapped, "He's gonna lull you into a false sense of security."

"What can he steal fr'm meh this time, Logan?" Rogue asked, looking up at him with sad green eyes. "Ain't got nothin' tah give him."

"Trust me kid, you've got plenty to give him."

"Ya'll ain't tryin' tah have thah talk, are yah?" Rogue wrinkled her nose.

"Of course not" Logan shook his hand impatiently, "Besides, from what I hear, I'm ten years too late."

Rogue rolled her eyes, "Yeah yeah" she muttered.

"I'm just worried he'll hurt you again."

Rogue scratched the table with her nails and sighed, "So am Ah" she said honestly, "But Ah'm keepin' mah distance, Ah promise."

"He's charmin', your Gaitor Bait."

Rogue laughed, "He forgets, Ah already know his moves" she winked, "Seen him in action."

Logan huffed, "Well you ain't a kid, so I gotta trust your judgement."

"Yeah, you do" Rogue agreed happily.

"An' I should probably also tell you, that the Prof wants to make that trainin' session of yours a regular thing."

Rogue looked up at him with those big, green eyes of hers.

"With Remy?" her voice hitched.

"Somethin' about you being comfortable around him" Logan muttered, rolling his eyes.

"So we gotta touch?"

"You don't have to do anything, Marie" Logan said very seriously, "It's your decision."

Rogue hesitated for a moment.

"You know, the Cajun isn't the only one you could practice touching with" he said.

"The only one that cain't die" Rogue mumbled into her coffee cup.

"I wouldn't die, kid" he said softly.

"It would hurt" Rogue said.

"I've been through worse" he smiled.

"Ain't hurtin' yah again, Logan."

Logan sighed as he looked into those beautiful eyes of hers. Even as he opened his mouth, he knew that arguing was futile.

"Well, offer's there" he shrugged, "Your Cajun sure ain't as touchable as me."

Rogue laughed, "Ain't half as pretty neither."

Logan shook his head and took a drink through a smile.

"Mebe yah could be there though" she said quietly.

"At your practise?" he asked.

Rogue nodded, "Ah know Emma would be there" she shrugged, "But she won't be no help keepin' the Cajun in line."

"No, she won't" Logan said, "Alright kid, I can do that."

Rogue threw him a heartbreaking smile just as their food arrived.

She didn't stand on ceremony, just dug straight in, only taking a breath to tell him all about how her classes were going and how she needed his help practising that kick she couldn't quite land right.

He smiled to himself as he watched her, wondering why he'd ever stopped coming to their place.


	8. Chapter 8

**_Warning: This chapter is one of the reasons this story is rated M. If that's not you're thing, I'd suggest you stop reading right now._**

 **Chapter Eight**

 _Disclaimer: Unfortunately nothing here belongs to me._

Rogue sighed and took a sip of coffee, drumming her fingers across the table top.

She had taken refuge in the kitchen the moment she had opened her eyes this morning, because no matter how much she tossed and turned, she just couldn't get the image of Remy LeBeau from behind her eyes.

His words had gone around in her head so many times that she'd been far too preoccupied to sleep. That, coupled with the warning from Logan and the constant chunnering in the back of her mind every time she thought of the suave southerner, she had no chance of getting any rest.

She should have known this would happen, that Remy's hands on her skin would bring back all the memories of what it used to feel like back when she could trust him. Maybe it would have been better to just not lay her hands on him in the first place, but he had been far too tempting to resist.

If he hadn't mentioned the nostalgia then maybe she wouldn't have thought about it, but since he had it was all she could think about.

Every time she closed her eyes he was there. But it wasn't the Remy here now, it was the Remy she had met ten years ago, and she needed to remember that.

 _Ten years earlier:_

 _"Remy" Rogue giggled, trying to escape his grasp as he kissed all the way up her jaw._

 _"Yes, chere?" he asked against her skin, kissing down her neck and scratching her with his stubble._

 _"Yah need tah stop!" she said, pushing against his shoulders._

 _"But yo' taste so good" Remy grinned into her neck._

 _"Ah need yah tah go to the other side o' thah room" Rogue said breathily, still trying and failing to push him off her as he mercilessly attacked her neck. "Ah cain't think straight."_

 _"T'inkin' ain't no fun" he said, kissing her behind her ear._

 _She finally gave up, her ear was her kryptonite and he was fully exploiting her weakness._

 _He'd even managed to sneak a hand up beneath her shirt and she was about to protest until he ran the tip of his finger excruciatingly slowly over her nipple and she gasped._

 _Remy took for advantage of this by moving to kiss her, forcing his tongue into her mouth and working her up all warm and wet until she practically fainted._

 _Somehow her shirt ended up on the floor as the kissing became much more urgent, he slowly began to move down her jaw again as he slipped his hands around her back and un-clipped her bra._

 _He began to drop kisses on her neck, slowly moving down her chest until he latched onto one of her nipples._

 _She was in a state of delirium she had never felt before and she began to wonder if anything had ever felt anything better than this._

 _Everywhere was hot and itchy, her skin felt tight and the heat was all beginning to gather in one place._

 _Almost as though he could sense this Remy began to move down her body. He replaced his mouth with his fingers on her nipple, pinching softly as he slowly kissed down her stomach. He stopped only briefly to bite the fleshy skin next to her belly button and Rogue cried out. She couldn't even find it in her to be embarrassed at how loud she was, all she could think about was what Remy was doing to her and how she never wanted him to stop._

 _He unbuttoned her jeans and began to pull them off her hips until she leant up and placed her hands over his, "Remy, wait-"_

 _"It's okay chere, jus' wanna taste" he smiled up at her._

 _"Ah ain't sho' Ah'm ready" she said in a breathy voice._

 _Remy began to trace no nonsense patterns on the skin of her hips, "We won't do nothin'" he promised, "Jus' wanna know if you taste as good as yo' look."_

 _"Ah cain't-"_

 _He placed his finger over her lips, "Don't expect nothin' in return, Rogue" he said softly, moving to push her hair out of her eyes. "Jus' let me do dis."_

 _She took a deep breath and nodded shakily, before lifting her hips and allowing him to shimmy her jeans off._

 _She laid back on the bed as he began to rain kisses on her hip bones. Excruciating slowly, as though he was doing it on purpose he moved between her legs, the stubble on his chin scratching her over-sensitised skin. The moment his tongue made contact with her body she practically convulsed, letting out a moan so loud she would have been embarrassed under normal circumstances._

"Rogue?"

Her eyes snapped open and she was back in the kitchen of the Xavier Mansion ten years later. The only thing about her view that hadn't changed was Remy LeBeau, who stood shirtless in the doorway. He was stock still, the wiry muscles of his arms hanging awkwardly either side of his rippled abdomen, staring at her with shocked red eyes.

"Aw jeez" Rogue groaned, her head falling into her hands.

"Yo' doin' okay, chere?" came that soft as southern voice, wrapping around her like silk.

She opened a gap with her fingers so she could look at him with one eye, "Was Ah projectin'?" she whispered. Rogue knew that Remy had felt her emotions before, often it had made her self conscious but at one point in their relationship it had just added to the fun. There weren't many people that could read the pleasure of another person quite like an Empath.

Now however, she was just mortified.

"Only a little" Remy said easily, moving over to the coffee pot. "Wouldn't mind knowin' who yo' were t'inkin' of."

"Tom Cruise" she blurted, before clearing her throat awkwardly. "Ah mean-"

"He a little clean cut f'r yo' chere" Remy teased, placing his fresh coffee mug on the table and sliding into the seat beside her. "An' yo' sho' are terrible liar."

"Ah ain't lyin'!"

"P'shaw" Remy snorted into his coffee mug, "Jus' tell me it ain't Jack Frost, he a little too innocent f'r yo'."

"Jealous?"

"Dat someone else could make yo' feel dat way?" Remy turned those eyes of his on her, "Oh yeah."

Her entire body flashed hot then cold, and she had to take a deep breath. Remy LeBeau was far too dangerous a man to contend with on a normal day, but no girl should risk being around him when she was already aroused.

It was bad for her health.

"Ah should probably go" she said, but didn't move from where she sat, her eyes still locked to his as though she was the snake and he was her charmer. "Ah got tah meet Emma."

"In a lab where me an' yo' gone be doin' a lot o' touchin', non?"

She loved it when his eyes glowed red.

"Right" Rogue nodded shakily, "We got trainin'."

"Forgive me, chere" Remy said, running a finger casually down her arm. "But de kind o' touchin' yo' want, don't involve no audience."

"Huh?"

"Yo' got dat" he paused, "Dat hot, itchy feelin' dat jus' demandin' satisfaction."

His accent curled over the last word and it was that which seems to break his spell over Rogue. She snorted and broke his eye contact, taking her first breath for a full minute, "Ah sure know how Ah'm feelin', Swamp Rat" she rolled her eyes, "Ya'll think Ah don't know what sexual frustration is?"

"Could fix that f'r yo' right now, chere" he rumbled, his devil eyes still fixed on her and his finger still raising goosebumps on her arm.

She shook her head, "No thanks" she said, standing to dislodge his arm and moving to place her empty mug in the sink. Rogue moved to put the table between them and it seemed to clear her head again, "If it weren't foar yah, Ah wouldn't be in this mess."

"Jus' cravin' m' touch?" he hummed, leaning across the table towards his and pushing one side of his mouth up into a smile. His eyes were like a siren call, a red beacon calling out to her.

But she would not answer.

Rogue rolled her eyes, "If it weren't f'r yah, Cajun" she said, crossing her arms over her chest. "Ah wouldn't know what sex was lahke, an' mebe then Ah wouldn't want it so bad."

That admission seemed to shock him out of his suave and charming alter ego. He leaned back into his seat, gaping at her like a fish as his mouth opened and closed in shock but no words seem to come to him.

"Cat gotcha tongue, Cajun?" she teased.

"Well I-" he paused as he stumbled over the words, his Adam's Apple bobbing as he swallowed nervously. "Jus figured we could do somethin' about that."

Even he didn't sound sure about the words coming out of his mouth.

Rogue laughed because Remy LeBeau didn't stuttered over his words and he certainly never felt uncomfortable. Remy LeBeau just delighted in making everyone else feel uncomfortable.

"Did yah jus' stutter?" she crowed.

"Non!" Remy defended, "Was Jus' surprised t' hear-"

"Me talkin' 'bout sex?" she teased.

"Guess yo'll always be dat innocent lil gal t' me" he smiled sheepishly and cleared his throat. "Yo' know de one who blushed every time I licked her-"

Rogue grinned because he was trying desperately to seem cool and pull the conversation back under control. But she was in control this time, and she was going to give Remy LeBeau a taste of his own medicine.

"Yo' know Remy" she said huskily, sliding her elbows across the table and pushing her chest together with her forearms. "This innocent gal here sure could use an orgasm" she paused while he digested that, "Or a back massage." She pondered for a second, "Mebe both."

Remy cleared his throat to hide his awkwardness, "An' when did yo' last have either o' dose?"

"Yah right" she sighed, cocking her head to watch him. "A massage above clothes ain't really thah same as skin on skin."

Remy smiled because he knew she was playing with him, "An' an orgasm?"

She threw him a wicked grin, "Guess Ah'll go sort that out right now."

Rogue couldn't hold in a laugh as his face dropped into a mask of shock, she let out one bark of laughter before turning and sauntering out of the room.

Getting one up on Remy LeBeau was a rare occasion and she would no doubt pay for it later, but it sure did feel good.

She grinned to herself as she took the stairs two at a time and headed to her room, planning a quick shower and a change of clothes before she headed down to meet Emma.

She threw her hair up in a bun but just before she stepped into the shower, she caught sight of herself in the mirror. With tendrils of curls falling into her face and bright green eyes, she barely recognised herself.

It was the Remy LeBeau effect.

She didn't like to admit that having him around made her feel good. But Remy was the only person she'd ever met who wasn't only not afraid to touch her, but who actively tried to whenever they were in the same room as each other.

It was hard not to get addicted to him.

She shut off the water and grabbed a towel, once again glancing at her reflection as she dried the water droplets from her skin.

Remy had always loved her hair up, said it accented her bare neck.

Rogue grinned at her reflection as a plan formed in her head. Remy LeBeau wasn't the only person that could play dirty, and Rogue was fairly certain she had some revealing clothes hidden in her closet.

She laughed to herself as she dressed, because the thought of giving Remy LeBeau a taste of his own medicine was oddly amusing.

Rogue settled for jeans and a top that bared her arms, not wanting to appear too obvious. That didn't stop her from clearing the corridors on her way downstairs, as everyone between her bedroom and the laboratory seemed to be scared of her bare skin.

It would be worth it as soon as she saw the look at Remy's face.

Or so she thought.

The moment she walked into the lab her victory was short lived and her glory taken from her. Remy LeBeau was sat in the centre of an extremely squishy sofa, and he was completely topless.

He was lounging, almost as though he was waiting for the cameras to be ready so he could start his cover shoot for GQ. Muscles wrapped themselves around his forearms and the balls of his shoulders, the pectorals of his chest were perfect and smooth and his abs were so tight she could have washed her clothes on them.

Of course, she was used to seeing him half naked.

Touching him half naked was something completely different.

Her brain seemed to completely shut down at the thought.

"Yo' okay there, chere?" Remy grinned, his smile so big he could probably light several Christmas trees with it.

"Ah-"

"Oh, hello Rogue" Emma tore her eyes away from the delicious morsel on the sofa and turned to face her. "Come in, I have something to explain about this session."

"Like the reason why the Cajun needs to be naked?" a voice growled and Rogue flushed as she noticed Logan hovering in the shadows.

She mentally kicked herself for inviting him along, the last thing this session needed was more witnesses.

"Yes" Emma said, clearing her throat and hiding a smile. "Rogue, why not take a seat beside Remy there?"

"Come on now, chere" he was still grinning away happily as he patted the space next to him, "Won't bite, unless yo' ask real nice."

Rogue rolled her eyes but her cheeks felt hot as she dropped into the seat next to him.

The problem with contending with Remy was his empathic ability gave him a slight edge. He _knew_ he was getting to her, and it just seemed to spur him on to be ever more infuriating.

She kept her eyes determinedly trained on Emma to avoid looking at the man sat beside her.

The gorgeous telepath seemed more than a little distracted herself, her eyes flicking to Remy every few seconds as though she was checking he was real.

 _Well he doesn't look it_ Emma's voice came through on a mental level. _If I were you, I'd be all over that like a badger on honey._

 _Been there, done that_ Rogue thought back.

 _Well stay behind after, because I want some details_ Emma replied in her head, while opening her mouth and saying, "So this session will be a little different."

"Ah don't gotta get naked too, do Ah?" Rogue asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Dere wouldn't be no complaints, chere" Remy winked.

"No, Rogue will not be naked" Logan bit out.

"In the last session, it was Remy that was doing all the touching" Emma continued as though there had been no interruption. "So I thought it would be interesting to try the other way around."

"So Ah would touch him?" Rogue heard the wobble in her own voice.

"Touching and being touched are two different things" Emma said, nodding enthusiastically. "I want to monitor the differences, and get you comfortable with both."

"S'long as he ain't touchin' meh" she but out, trying desperately to hide her nerves.

"Yo' ain't no fun, Catin" Remy teased her, mirth dancing in his red eyes.

"We ain't here foar fun" Rogue said haughtily.

"An if we were, it'd be me knocking you out with my touch" Logan growled.

"Logan and I will be just behind the screen" Emma said, smiling as she grasped him under the arm to drag him in that direction. "Just act natural."

Rogue turned to glare at her Cajun companion, who was grinning away at her as he lounged casually on the sofa.

"Some days Ah Sho' wish mah mutation worked on Yah, Gaitor Bait" she said, bracing herself for what was about to happen. "Wipe that smile right off yah face."

"Yo' were grinning so much dis mornin', jus' thought I'd come in on de joke."

Rogue rolled her eyes and took a deep breath as she reached out, her bare hand pausing just inches from his tanned skin.

"Come on, chere" Remy coaxed, "Yo' can't hurt me, so why yo' so 'fraid?"

"Ah don't do this often, Cajun" she said through gritted teeth.

"Yo' used to" he practically purred.

"No" she said, her voice almost shaking as she said it. "Ah didn't."

Before he could respond she pushed her hand forward and placed her entire palm on his chest.

He was so warm, she had forgotten that about him. Remy constantly seemed to run hot, as though he had an undercurrent of hot water just under his skin. Sometimes when he had wrapped his arms around her from behind, it had felt like she was sinking into a hot bath.

Rogue shook her head as she pushed that memory out of her head.

"De other hand, chere" Remy coaxed.

She could feel his devil eyes fixed on her but she refused to move her gaze any higher than his neck.

"Mebe Ah jus' don't wanna touch" she bit out, taking a deep breath and moving her hand so she could place it directly over his heart. Feeling the heartbeat of another person was an indescribable feeling for her, and she tensed her fingers as she felt the first thump. There it was, beating strong and powerful, keeping him alive.

"We both know dat ain't true" Remy teased, "Come on now, I know my body be good, but how bout I see dose eyes o' yo'rs?"

"Yah think Ah don't know whatcha doin'" she snorted, shaking her hair out of her face and grinding her teeth together.

"Ain't doin' nothin' Catin."

"So ya'll ain't tryin' tah prove yah can't get me all riled up, jus' like ah did tah yahself this mornin'."

"Don't need t' prove nothin'" Remy shot back.

Rogue finally looked up and was caught in his molten gaze. His red eyes swam merrily in a sea of liquid black, and sitting this close she couldn't help but be mesmerised.

"That right?"

Before she'd even realised what he was doing he had moved, shoved her shoulders down and repositioned himself so he was on top of her. His warm heat radiated out over her skin, but he hovered just high enough to ensure they didn't touch.

"'M I makin' yo' uncomfortable, chere?" he hummed, his voice vibrating down her chest.

"Yah sho' are childish" she hissed, wriggling a little but not wanting to dislodge him. "Yah know that?"

Remy leant down so the bristles of his stubble scratched her cheek, "Couldn't leave de kitchen f'r a good 45 minutes dis mornin', Catin" he whispered in her ear, "Thanks t' yo'."

It took Rogue half a second before what he had said connected in her brain and rich laughter poured from her lips.

"Oh, yo' t'ink dats funny?" he mocked, but she could hear the smile in his voice.

"Shoulda paid Alison a visit" Rogue choked, trying as hard as she could to keep her voice even and her face straight. "Sho' she woulda helped yah out."

Remy ran a finger across her cheek, catching a curl, "Dat gal ain't offerin' de kinda help I need."

"That so?" Rogue raised an eyebrow, lifting her hips until they met his. "An ya'll think Ah am?"

Remy smiled, "Yo' exactly de help dis Cajun need, chere" he said softly, his voice all warm like melted chocolate.

Rogue took a deep breath as she stared into those red eyes, his hypnotic stare catching her off guard.

Rogue laughed, "Don'tcha ever give up, Gaitor Bait?"

"'M a thief chere" Remy winked at her, his finger still stroking her cheek. "Jus' doin' what comes natural."

Maybe she would have kissed him then, in that perfect moment. With his eyes locked on hers and his breath caressing her cheek, with the warmth of his entire body pressed up against her.

Maybe she would have kissed him, and maybe it would have been everything she had been dreaming about.

But Logan burst in and berated them both for not taking training seriously. After that the session was cut short and Rogue felt as though a bucket of cold water had been poured right over her libido.

Yet she couldn't help but be grateful to Logan, because she couldn't even pretend that she was a match for Remy LeBeau.

In her heart she knew he would chew her up and spit her out, just as he had done before.

 ** _To all the people still reading this story:_**

 ** _Firstly, I want to thank you all for not giving up on me! I'm sorry my updates are taking so long. I have all the ideas for where I want this story to go and chapters all planned, I'm just having trouble when it comes to sitting down and actually writing it. Any help/advice/critique you could give would be so helpful!_**


	9. Chapter 9

_**Disclaimer: If only I owned Remy LeBeau, the things that I could do..**_

 **Chapter Nine**

Remy's day had been, what he consider to be, a fairly good day.

Granted he had yet to see Rogue, but given what had happened the last time they had been in the same room together, he thought it might be best just to give her some space.

So he'd taken his black coffee and a cigarette out into the garden, and was enjoying what was likely to be the last of the New York sunshine, before the bitter cold descended on them. Perhaps there was something to be said about the seasons, certainly trees were beautiful with their crisp brown autumn leaves and the ground sounded better underfoot with a little crunch. But there was nothing like the sticky heat of Louisiana, and no matter how long Remy was away, he never would become acclimatised to a New York winter.

"You want to be cautious" a stern voice said from beside him, "Parade around like that for too long and you'll get yourself a following."

Remy opened one eye and peered up to see Storm surveying him with clouded grey eyes.

He could only assume that she was referring to his lack of shirt.

"Got t' give de ladies somethin' t' look at" he winked.

"They'll be more than looking if you don't watch out" she nodded her head out towards the garden and Remy glanced up to see two young girls in bikini tops staring openly at him. As they noticed his gaze the girl with the green hair said something to her blonde friend and they both giggled.

Admittedly, he had forgotten he was surrounded by teenagers.

"Remy be irresistible, non?" he grinned.

Storm sank to sit on the step beside him, "And here I was thinking you only had eyes for Rogue."

She seemed good natured in her ribbing, but he was yet to find someone in this mansion who actually approved of his relationship with Rogue.

"Yo' ain't so happy 'bout dis, ma soeur?"

"I know nothing about it" Storm shrugged, "I know you, and I know Rogue."

"Whatcha sayin'?"

"Only that I wouldn't have put the two of you together."

"Dat right?"

Storm sighed, "There's no need to be defensive, Remy" she said softly, "But Rogue is fragile, you don't know what she's been though."

"Say dat I know a lot better dan yo'" Remy hit back, "Yo' all underestimate her."

"Her mutation-"

"Yo' ain't know nothin' 'bout dese t'ings" he said sharply, flicking his cigarette butt out into the lawn and standing up.

He was already back in the entry way when she called his name, but he wasn't about to look back.

It made him angry.

It wasn't that people assumed Rogue was too good for him, because in his heart he knew that was true. It was that they treated her like spun glass, too delicate to be allowed near to the real world. But he knew different because he had seen her previous life, she was stronger than him and anyone else in this place.

The alarm call 'X-Men to the War Room' blared out just as he was headed up the second stairway on the way to the roof and he cursed, knowing full well he would have to run back to his room to grab a shirt. If he turned up to one more team meeting topless, the Professor would likely not allow him to attend another.

He knew he was late as he jogged through the deserted corridors, shoving his head through his t-shirt as he went.

There wasn't a single person in the elevator down to the basement, nor in any of the corridors, which likely meant that they had already gathered in the War Room.

Sure enough they were all sat around the large oval table as he entered, the lecture he expected from his tardiness did not come and as he glanced around he saw that all the faces in the room seemed extremely cast down.

"Done looks like yo' all lost some money on de ponies" he said, stepping into the room and focusing his eyes on the only person that mattered.

It was the way Rogue looked at him then, her hair dragged over one shoulder and her eyes huge. She looked up at him like she hadn't since she was sixteen, like she was terrified and he was the only safe anchor in a mist of chaos.

Before he even realised what he was doing he had stepped into the room towards her.

"What is it, chere?" he asked quietly, reaching out into her emotional climate in a hope to calm her.

She took a deep, gasping breath and reached out to grasp his hand. It was the first time she'd voluntarily reached for him since he'd arrived.

"Mah momma-"

That seemed to be all she could manage before she dragged in another breath.

"Yo' sho' are scarin' me here, chere."

Again she didn't answer, so Scott stepped in for her.

"Rogue, there is no proof that Mystique is involved" he said sternly, "And if she is, she can't reach you here."

"Victor-" she managed to gasp out.

"That big cat ain't gettin' near you" Logan growled from the seat beside her, "Not while I'm around."

"An' me" Remy added, stroking a finger down her face softly.

Her breathing finally seemed to calm.

"But John-" she pressed.

"De fire breathin' maniac?" Remy asked, "What he got t' do wit' dis?"

"It appears that Pyro has resurfaced in this area after much time away" Charles said, his fingers steepled together. "With what happened after the aftermath of the cure-"

"No need to rehash ancient history dere, Prof" Remy said, shaking a hand to cut him off.

"If the news stories are correct then Eric will be regaining his former strength" the Professor continued, "It is logical that he would once again ally himself with his former friends."

"Don't seem too suspicious" Remy shrugged, glancing at Rogue who's gaze was focused on the table. "So De firebug been lingering around, don't mean nothin'."

"He's been lingering around the HellFire Club" Emma finally spoke, tapping her perfectly manicured nails against the table. "That is more than suspicious."

"How did de lil fire breather get himself an invitation?" he huffed, placing a hand on the back of Rogue's chair. "Remy been tryin' f'r years."

"Maybe his application was better than yours" Bobby bit out.

"You don't apply for the HellFire Club, Bobby" Emma sighed tiredly, "You're chosen."

"What is the HellFire Club exactly?" Kitty wanted to know.

"On the outside, it's just an Elite social club" Emma explained, "But there's an inner circle of four members who are all mutants and all extremely influential when it comes to getting their own way."

"With the elite members all being mutants it does seem rather suspicious" Storm agreed, "John was never really a social club sort of boy."

"There's no denying they'd find a powerful ally in Magneto" Scott agreed.

"So we all jus' gonna sit here chattin' like a WI meetin' or we gonna do somethin'?" Logan wanted to know.

"There doesn't appear to be a lot we can do" Charles sighed, "Other than sit and wait."

The entire room went silent for two beats before Remy spoke.

"'Course we can do suthin'" they all looked up at him curiously as he continued, "Yo' got de answer sat right here in front o' yo'."

Logan seemed to see what he meant before anyone else did.

"You got more chance of walkin' on the moon, bub" he growled.

"Is anyone else lost?" Bobby asked.

"Yo' got Mystiques only daughter an' De man she left her family for sat right here" Remy shrugged, "Seems odd yo' don't use us."

"Tah do what?" Rogue finally spoke.

"Come on, chere" he said softly, kneeling down beside her. "She taught yo' all yo' know 'bout bein' undercover, why not use does skills?"

"Lie tah mah momma?" Rogue snorted, "Ya'll have got tah he kiddin' meh."

"It ain't really lyin'" Remy reasoned.

"The moral compass of a thief" Bobby shook his head in disgust.

"Are ya'll forgettin' she tried to have meh killed?" Rogue burst out, ignoring Bobby completely.

"Did she though?" Remy raised an eyebrow.

"We ain't goin' over this again, bub" Logan bit out, "'Less you want to be a doll an' I'll show you exactly what Victor did to her."

"Pardon monsoir, yo' misunderstand" Remy held his hand out as way of an apology. "But yo' never saw how Mystique was wit' her."

"What is it you mean by that, Remy?" The Professor asked softly.

"Always had her where she could see her, she weren't allowed out alone often and she was wrapped up in cotton wool considerin' she got better trainin' dan most assassins I know" Remy shrugged, "Lot o' effort t' go t' jus' t' kill someone."

"You don't think she meant for Sabertooth to kill meh" Rogue whispered, understanding lighting her eyes as she glanced up at him. "Jus' t' scare meh."

"Yo' know yo' momma was queen o' de mind games" Remy tipped his head, "If I were a bettin' man, I'd say old whiskers got a beatin' o' his own when he got back."

"But why go to that effort?" Kitty wanted to know, her face ashen white. "For someone she cared about."

"Never said she cared, petite" Remy said, "Mystique be a cold fish, but Rogue was an asset to her."

"I'm sure she had a bunch of good fighters" Bobby said dismissively.

"Ain't her skill in combat old Missy was interested in" Remy raised an eyebrow.

"Then what?" Kitty wanted to know.

"Oh use your brain" Emma huffed, shaking her blonde hair out of her eyes. "It's obvious, if you have control of Rogue's mutation then you have control of any mutation you like".

"Ain't no one round this table thinks mah mutation be an asset, Emma" Rogue snorted.

"Oh Rogue-" Kitty was cut off.

"If that's true, then Mystique would welcome you back with open arms" Scott mused.

"With open suspicion more lahke" Rogue rolled her eyes.

"So we go an' accidentally bump inta old Johnny boy, tell him me an' de chere be a couple" Remy shrugged as though it was the most casual thing in the world. "Missy might believe Rogue loved me enough t' betray her family f'r me, mebe she'd take us back."

"If she thought what they had was real, she'd be more likely to forgive Rogue." Scott agreed, glancing around the table to gauge a response.

"Ya'll do not know mah mother" Rogue shook her head.

"And no one is going to believe Rogue loves him!" Bobby burst out.

"Oh, you're so blind, Bobby" Emma smiled.

Rogue looked up at him with those big green eyes, "Ya'll ain't serious, Cajun" she said softly.

"Yo' look me in de eye an' tell m' we wouldn't have some fun, like de good old days" he knelt down beside her, stroking her finger.

"Yah know mah momma, she's dangerous" Rogue whispered.

"Ain't half as dangerous as yo', Catin" he breathed.

"So we're goin' back inta the wolves den then?" she said, laughing as she took a shaky breath.

Remy reached out to take her hand, "Dis time we come out leadin' de pack."


End file.
